Scars of a Façade
by ATHPluver
Summary: "You're obnoxious, you're self-centered, you're goddamn pretentious, and you've been the bane of my existence ever since I joined you on this stupid tour bus with a gang of geeks you call a rock band. But I will not let you ruin your own career. Now get up off your ass and make everyone out there worship you the way they should!" punk!Elsa roadie!Anna. Elsanna. No flames, please.
1. Rockstar

**I was literally singing the single version of **_**Let It Go**_** when I came up with this concept. I know it's been done before but I really wanted to do my own version of it. **

**Ladies and Gentlemen… I present to you a punk!Elsa and roadie!Anna Elsanna AU fan fiction.  
****I probably shouldn't even update this because I'm already booked on fan fictions but I can't help myself.  
****Save me.  
****The genre is kind of… everywhere. It's Humor/Romance/Drama/Friendship/teeny bit of Angst/Hurt/Comfort. Like I said— everywhere.**

**For those of you who read "Sun Kissed," you all voted and I tallied it up. Scars of a Façade won by a landslide. Thanks to those who voted!**

**Rated M for mature content, swearing, future smut, the mention of smut, and Elsa being a sexy-ass-mother-fucker.**

_**Disclaimer FOR THE ENTIRE STORY: Disney owns the Frozen Franchise and any other Disney characters mentioned. Whatever I use that is copyrighted or whatever, like Coke or something like that, does ****NOT**** belong to me. The cover art is by dilautris on Tumblr.**_

**Thank you.**

* * *

"The newest rock sensation is sweeping the nation, taking every single radio station by storm with their hit single 'Let It Go.' Everyone is fan-girling (be they male or female) over them, screaming their names at the top of their voices when they are spied on television, speaking on the radio, or at one of their inexpensive concerts.

The band is called Dry Ice. A mashup of punk, rock, and alternative music being ever present behind them.

Newspapers are full of articles, local talk shows speak highly of the group, and almost every paparazzi craves to get a picture of at least one the band members on a daily basis. Their merchandise is seen for split seconds at local Hot Topics before they are swiped off the shelves by fanatics. Stores sell many knock off versions of the band's T-shirts but people buy them anyway, wanting to claim any and all related items as their own.

But the biggest star in the sky is the lead singer of the band. A sexual, smirking, and devious girl at the early age of twenty-two. Everyone loves her, desires of getting one measly selfie with her, having her high-five them during a concert, and a simple scrap of paper with her autograph on it flaring in every adolescent all across the country.

Fans everywhere had this to say:

'She's sooooo _hot_.'

'She can turn any gay guy straight and any straight girl gay in an instant.'

'Her smirk is rumored to cause the end of the world… but, like, in a good way.'

'This magazine put a sexy level on a scale of one to her and, well, I think that's pretty f*cking awesome. No one is sexier than she is.'

'If she were to offer a one night stand, I would so take that opportunity. I mean, if I didn't have a boyfriend.'

'I'd go gay for her in an instant, are you kidding? I think we all have a crush on her no matter what our sexuality is.'

'Her f*cking _hip_ action, Jesus Christ. It turns me _on_.'

'Is it normal to want to… wait, never mind, what I'm about to say is probably not gonna look good on paper. Just know that it's really dirty.'

Who is the icon that is causing every fan to swoon head over heels for? The icon setting the bar for punk-style clothes all around. The icon blowing up every magazine cover with her gorgeous face.

Her name is Elsa. Or as her fans adoringly call her: Snow Queen Elsa whilst on stage. Across the country, you can find at least one fan mimicking her signature look: A long braid that is "messily perfect," dark blue tank tops, and a pair of fingerless gloves.

The gloves are the thing Elsa is never seen without. And the band sticks with it as well. Guitarist Olaf, drummer Marshmallow, and bassist Sitron all don the fingerless gloves. The style has also swept the nation, stores completely out of the product everywhere. Fans are also going to great lengths trying to copy Elsa's tattoos— or at least grab ones that hold lyrics from her hit single.

Everyone is going completely gaga for Dry Ice, needless to say. The summer tour is on its way so everyone save up for tickets and gas money if you want to follow them in their debut concert tour!"

Anna looked up from her salad as her cousin Rapunzel finished reading the article in the _Arendelle Issues_, a local magazine in their mountain town. They were sitting outside a café on their college campus, the warm, early summer air buzzing around them and other students milling about. Everyone was excited for the legendary Dry Ice was on their way to grace the town of Arendelle with their presence.

Rapunzel was practically gushing at the article, grinning stupidly at a picture of Elsa smirking at the camera with Olaf— a lanky dude of twenty-one with spiky white hair— in a headlock in her left arm and Marshmallow— Olaf's younger, much bulkier brother with messy white hair— in her right arm. Sitron— black hair with frosted tips— was jumping behind the group with his tongue sticking out. Anna glanced down at it, too, but didn't share Rapunzel's similar enthusiasm.

"I really don't see what all the fuss is about," Anna said truthfully.

Almost as if she had been personally offended, Rapunzel gasped and gaped at Anna. "Are you fucking _kidding_ me!? You _love_ their music!"

"I enjoy it but I'm not in love with them," Anna said with a shrug. "They don't play my kind of music. Punk isn't really my thing."

Rapunzel scoffed and folded her arms across her chest, leaning back in her seat.

"You just don't understand," Rapunzel said sharply. She jabbed the picture of the band with her finger. "Look at them all! I want to have everyone's babies!"

"Dude…"

The brunette snatched the magazine up and shoved it underneath her cousin's nose.

"Look at them!" she cried.

"I see them! But I don't have an urge to have their children!" Anna said, swiping away the magazine with a heavy roll of her eyes.

"Well, whatever your opinion is, you're gonna be my date to the concert when they show up this weekend," Rapunzel told her firmly. "Eugene bailed."

"So glad I'm your backup plan," Anna muttered, stabbing her salad with her fork.

"Oh, no, honey. I didn't mean it like that," Rapunzel said quickly, trying to smooth it over. "I love spending time with you."

"Great save," Anna said sarcastically. "I'm actually sort of looking forward to it. I haven't been to a concert since… well, never." She smiled. "It'll be fun. But does it have to be a _Sunday _night? I start my finals in the morning."

"Saturday was sold out in the next town over," Rapunzel said. "It's a shame because I would have driven out there if I had the chance but when I asked for tickets, the chick on the phone _laughed in my fucking ear._ So I settled for Sunday. There was no way in hell I was gonna miss the show of a lifetime."

"It's hardly a show of a life—"

Rapunzel cut Anna off with a death glare and Anna giggled, raising her hands chest high in surrender. The brunette immediately dropped her attention back at the article, flipping through the pictures of the band. Anna observed her cousin, noting the fingerless gloves that were supposedly the same kind Elsa wore and how her choppy brown hair was in a french braid that traveled down from the crown of her head to the elastic band struggling to hold the end in place at the nape of her neck. Almost every girl in town was trying to copy Elsa's look— as the magazine pointed out— and every guy was attempting to either do some gender swap version of Elsa or dress like one of the guys in the band.

There was no doubting it, Anna thought, Elsa _was_ a rather attractive girl. Still young and incredibly talented. Attractive to many people, girls and boys alike. But it was hardly anything that the redhead paid much attention to. It was true what she had said, though. She enjoyed their music but it wasn't something she listened to religiously. The only song she actually obsessed over for a while was the single "Let It Go."

And _damn_ Elsa could sing like no other. Anna liked to sing, too, and attempted to sing the song herself but was unable to belt out some of the larger, longer notes. It saddened her so she gave up the goal, soon switching to her usual pop and college rock music whilst she studied.

Anna was nearing the end of her sophomore year in college and had just turned nineteen that April. She was hoping to transfer to a university deeper in the state by the end of this term but all she received from the other ends was dead silence. So her hopes were dwindling fast but, ever the optimist, she kept her fingers crossed.

Her plan that summer was to spend it studying, reading up on everything she could on becoming a teacher. To work hard and lock herself in her room on the weekdays and hang out with friends on weekends. Rapunzel wasn't as motivated as she was but that was mostly because of the whole Dry Ice sensation. Which didn't bother Anna much… until her classmates gawked at her for not donning the similar outfits that everyone else was.

She had no interest in blending in with the group. All Elsa talked about in interviews was being yourself and not act like everyone else, yet everyone wanted to act like her. In her defense, Anna was just taking Elsa's words by heart. Otherwise, she stuck to her button down plaid shirts and jeans.

And _another_ thing. Everyone was rushing to get piercings like Elsa had. Ranging from cartridge piercings to snowflake shaped ones on their lobes. And also rushing to ink their bodies up with tattoos. Anna was perfectly content with her simple, identical ear piercings holding her birth stone and her body ink free, thank you very much.

Whatever the case, Anna was the only one who didn't give into the need to be just like the up and coming pop star. She was never one to follow the crowd anyway.

When Rapunzel had approached her with an extra ticket, Anna had accepted casually, thinking that a night out watching a new band for free wasn't going to be too bad. She was interested in how they played live anyway so it was a win-win for her. All she had to do, according to Rapunzel, was sing along with at least song through the course of the evening.

"They're mostly a cover band anyway," Rapunzel had reasoned, "so you'll know some of their songs. And I know you know 'Let It Go' by heart anyway."

Now that it was Friday, Rapunzel was on the edge of her sanity, preparing for a night of extreme screaming and singing. Anna… not so much. She _was_ excited to see them but wasn't as ecstatic as her starstruck cousin was. Anna wondered if Rapunzel would leave Eugene— her boyfriend of three years— if Elsa's offered to have a one night stand with her like that one interviewed fan suggested. Then again, Rapunzel wasn't _that_ obsessed.

Anna returned to her lunch, glancing up at the cover of the magazine where Elsa was posed rather scandalously, her smile soft but seductive with her ever present fingerless gloves over her hands.

Was she really that big of a deal?

* * *

That question was quickly answered as she and Rapunzel headed towards the outdoor theatre housing the "concert of a lifetime" a few miles away from her college campus. It was packed fit to burst with fans of the band. Everyone there was wearing some kind of Dry Ice memorabilia on their bodies, chatting noisily before the concert began.

Anna stuck her hands in her jacket pocket self-consciously realizing she was the _only one_ not wearing fingerless gloves. She wondered if the supply and demand of the gloves was skyrocketing across the United States.

There weren't any seats in the amphitheater so everyone was putting up a fight to the death to get to the front, right underneath the stage and in Elsa's touching range. Rapunzel had Anna in one hand and was using the other to shove other people out of the way, claiming she had more of a right to the front than anyone else. Eventually she was cowered back to the second row by a group of nasty girls with rather ugly scowls. Rapunzel wasn't very happy with the arrangement but decided not to complain after Anna told her it was as close as she was probably ever gonna get.

Dry Ice didn't come on until ten that night, which was a little annoying to Anna because she had hoped she would be back in her dorm early to squeeze in the tiniest bit of studying before she conked out. Apparently, that wasn't going to happen and her plan B was to cram on her way to class.

So she waited in the moist summer air with a bouncy Rapunzel on her left hand side, listening to the less popular opening band: some all boys group that was from a few towns over. A couple of people recognized them and cheered them on but almost everyone else was holding out for Dry Ice.

When the main boy of the group announced that Dry Ice would be out in ten minutes, the entire theatre erupted in applause and fanatic screaming. Anna grinned, cringing at the blast of voices clashing together (and the fact that her cousin was a legendary screamer didn't help either).

Lights had come up for the time being until the band of the night was to arrive. The fans were talking again and Anna heard bits and pieces of the conversations abound.

"D'you think she'll sign my CD?" "Maybe. All I want is for her to _look_ at me." Was one.

Another was: "Hey, how much you wanna bet she'll wiggle her hips like— _that_?" "Dude, gross, you seriously killed the entire act." "Oh, shut the fuck up, once she does it right you'll get back into it."

Her favorite by far was this one she overheard in the middle: "…so god damn sexual. I think she's a lesbian but she has all these super cute guys as her bandmates. Maybe she sleeps with them, I don't fucking know." A laugh, "I have no clue but I know that everyone wants to get into those pants of hers." "Hell, I know _I_ do."

Sometime in the wait, Anna smelled the ever-so-wonderful scent of pot in the back. She wrinkled her nose but didn't comment. Someone was bound to get high at a concert anyway. All she prayed about was not getting some weird contact high.

Finally, the lights started to dim and the theatre went _absolutely silent_. Everybody was holding their breath and Anna found herself doing the same. It was so quiet that she could hear the chirping of crickets in the fields surrounding the theatre. The sky was much brighter above them all, making the stars look like they were in attendance to the concert as well.

Smoke billowed on stage and three silhouettes scampered on to greet their awaiting instruments. One bulky shadow overtook the drums, a lankier shadow had a guitar slung over his shoulder, and the final shadow— also rather lanky but with a bigger build than the guitarist— fingered a bass that was firm in his grip.

Silence still.

Then a voice rang out into the night air. A cold, raspy, seductive voice that made the wind freeze and the trees quiver.

"Arendelle."

And a figure rose up from underneath the stage, clutching a microphone stand. Suddenly, lights flashed all at once on the figure, alighting Elsa herself.

Anna still wondered how she had managed to keep her hearing that night. Because as soon as the lights hit her, the entire crowd blew up in deafening shouts, slowly turning into a mantra bearing the punk's name.

Her eyes were closed, her gloved hands on the mic before her. She was wearing a blue tank top, a black jacket that was shoved past her elbows, skinny jeans with her scuffed up combat boots over them, and her many piercings were twinkling in the spotlights.

Slowly, she raised her head and her icy blue eyes snapped open, a brilliant, snow white grin flashing on her face. She thrust a fist in the air, platinum blonde braid swishing behind her, and shut her fans up.

"Are you ready?" she asked, still sultry as ever.

The crowd boomed their approval.

"Then let's go, my loves," she said, lips brushing over the mic.

Anna, along with everyone else, found themselves under her spell as Olaf started playing the first song of the night, Marshmallow and Sitron jumping in. And once Elsa opened her mouth and picked up on the first verse, everyone was clapping along.

And maybe it was just her imagination, but Anna could have sworn Elsa was staring at her throughout the first two sets. She didn't tear her teal eyes away, however, because those icy eyes were so enticing. She _did_ question her sanity, hoping that she wasn't going to become a fanatic like Rapunzel was just because an insanely hot girl was staring her down that night.

It was also that night Anna understood what "hip action" everyone was talking about. Elsa was some sort of artist when it came to making her hips swivel in those tight jeans. If this were the fifties, Anna mused humorously, people wouldn't be able to stand the sexual usage of those god-given hips. It was like she was making love to the crowd with each tiny hip-pop and sashay. And they swayed deliciously when she strutted across the stage like she owned the place. She probably would have been able to snatch it for herself no questions asked with one swish of her hips.

She took a moment to address her worshipers, standing dead center on the stage. Her arm not holding the mic spread, as if she were trying to gather the crowd into a hug. And what a hug that would have been. People would have collapsed by a single touch of her hair on their skin so just imagine what a _hug_ would do.

Anna hoped there were ambulances waiting outside the theatre just in case.

"So… glad all of you could make it tonight," Elsa told them, marveling at their applause. "I heard that Arendelle wasn't a party town—" A series of boos followed. "—but whoever said that is _fucking wrong_." The cheers reared up again. "I have to thank you guys, you made this night possible. With all the support you're sending our way we can finally afford a proper tour bus."

"Yeah, one that isn't Sitron's disgusting van," Olaf laughed into the microphone supplied to him.

"Screw you," Sitron snapped, scowling and flipping the guitarist off.

Elsa chuckled into her microphone, raising a hand behind her. "All right, boys, let's all get along. We don't want to fight in front of our fans, do we?" She turned and faced front, her legs slightly spread in a power stance. "We don't like fighting with each other. Families don't do that… however, when you get these losers together with a game of Guitar Hero and Marshmallow beats Olaf… there's always a scuffle or two."

Sitron and Marshmallow howled with laughter as Olaf colored, sending Elsa a rather reproachful look. Elsa snickered, the audience before them laughing, too.

"Sorry, Olaf, baby. I didn't mean to embarrass you," Elsa promised, crossing her heart. Her attention returned to the audience. "Anyway, my loves. Why don't I throw some more music your way?" Everyone announced their approval for the umpteenth time that night. "Do you all know how to raise your glass?" she asked, earning several screams and shouts. "Show me!"

And a cover of the song _Raise Your Glass_ started up behind her, the crowd started singing along. When the chorus hit, everyone— even Anna— stuck their fists in the air. Even as a cover band, they played the songs flawlessly and with as much gusto as the original artists. It got everybody going, that was for sure.

There was still that haunting thought in Anna's head that Elsa was staring at her through the next song. She stared right back and even raised an eyebrow at her. Elsa didn't send her one back but smiled, closing her eyes to return her attention to somewhere in the middle of the audience.

The last song of the night was her hit single and the voices of all rose up into the air like some kind of chant to a goddess, singing an anthem to the one woman that made them fall to their knees in a hypnotic prayer. And Elsa was eating it up, basking in the amount of undying affection from the crowd. Each cheer, each word sung out to her, each cry of someone's love for her resinated in the star, her voice getting stronger and more intense.

When the song was over, the applause was deafening-. more so than the ones before. Anna was cheering politely, clapping and whooping, getting nudged rather hard by her ever-so-enthusiastic cousin as she leapt up and down, ecstatic tears shining in her eyes.

Elsa bowed low and then came back up, grinning at her admirers.

"Thank you, Arendelle," she breathed into the mic. "I love you."

Everyone chanted her name as she made a round along the edge of the stage, smacking the hands of those in the front row, before blowing them all kisses, giving them the "rock on" sign with her hands, her tongue sticking out, and bounding off stage. Her bandmates all did their goodbyes before heading on after her, high-fiving themselves and hooting in victory.

Rapunzel kept Anna still and said into her ear, "Wait. I don't want to be stuck in a traffic jam."

So the girls squished themselves together as others pushed by to head to their cars, the euphoria steaming off them all. Some concert-goers stopped, however, and started to whisper frantically and excitedly to each other as someone tall shoved his way towards the two waiting cousins.

It was the guitarist, Olaf. Or as his fans lovingly called him: the Snowman. His spiky white hair was sticking up like a porcupine's needles, he wore a muscle tank with the bold words "free hugs" on the front, black skinny jeans, and white sneakers. On his right shoulder, wrapping around his bicep, was the tattooed phrase "I like warm hugs" in cursive writing. His fingerless gloves were a dark brown and he had one eyebrow piercing above his right eye.

As soon as he stopped in front of them, Rapunzel let out the tiniest cry, daring to believe that one of the members of Dry Ice was standing before her. Anna blinked up at him, wondering what he could have possibly wanted.

"You… uh…" Rapunzel spluttered. Anna guessed her beloved cousin would have fainted if her undying need to be cool in front of the band member didn't out weigh her fan-girling.

"Hi," he said cheerfully. "I'm Olaf."

"We know," Anna said, nodding once. "Are you lost?"

He laughed. "Nope. Elsa told me she wanted to see the cute ginger in the crowd wearing a trashy college sweatshirt." He eyed her and nodded to himself. "I'm guessing that's you."

Anna narrowed her eyes at the shrewd comment at her expense. She loved this stupid sweatshirt. It kept her warm on the nights her heater gave out during her cram sessions for winter finals. And it had been with her since freshman year, her first purchase in any college related items.

"Why?" she asked shortly, earning a sharp jab in the ribs by Rapunzel's elbow.

"Hell if I know," Olaf said with a shrug. "But she wants to see you." He stuck a thumb over his shoulder. "C'mon, I'll show you backstage."

Anna sent Rapunzel a glance that she thought clearly shouted "help" but Rapunzel misinterpreted it as "should I?" The brunette shoved Anna forward, telling her she'd be waiting by the car. Before Anna knew it, she was being lead through a crowd of Dry Ice fanatics backstage to meet the star everyone was obsessing over.

* * *

Olaf had her by the hand as they entered a side door next to the stage. Tech crew was starting to clear everything up and maintenance was tending to the garbage left over by the fans. Anna was craning her neck, not particularly thrilled to being dragged in here against her will.

There was a large bodyguard dressed in a fuzzy black sweater who went by the name of Oaken when Olaf addressed him, explaining he had a guest for Elsa. He stepped aside to reveal a door Anna didn't even know was there the man was so gigantic. Olaf winked at her from over his shoulder before pushing it open.

The room was occupied by three other people. Marshmallow was sitting on a couch provided for them in a white leather jacket with spikes on the shoulder pads over a black T-shirt, dark blue jeans, white fingerless gloves, and white sneakers. His hair was shaved on the left side of his head, the white bouncy locks that were left falling over his right eye. He was drinking a beer as he skimmed over an article in a magazine, his entire, humungous body taking the couch over. He wasn't as big as Oaken, Anna noted, and guessed Marshmallow did a hell of a lot of push ups or something. Sitron was smoking a cigarette by the window. He wore a tan shirt with a black jacket over it, torn jeans, a nose piercing, black sneakers, and black gloves. He blew a ring of smoke into the air, grinning at it almost cockily.

Finally, there was Elsa herself, taking large swigs of her water bottle, a towel hanging around her neck. Anna could see her arms now, her jacket no longer covering them up. On her left shoulder was a tattoo of a snowflake with the phrase/lyric "the cold never bothered me anyway" beneath it and on her right arm was the name of her hit single, going down vertically from the top of her shoulder to her elbow. She was leaning casually against the wall, one of her gloved hands in her pocket.

"Elsa, I have that girl you were talking about here to see ya," Olaf said, flopping into one of the arm chairs.

"I can see that," Elsa said, removing the water from her lips before setting it down on a table.

She looked Anna up and down, making the redhead incredibly nervous that she started fiddling with her hands absentmindedly. Again, she found herself the only person in the room not wearing gloves.

"What's your name, sweetie?" Elsa asked, sauntering over.

"Anna," she replied bluntly.

"Cute." The punk grinned. "Suits you…"

Anna furrowed her brows. "Yeah? Does my trashy college sweatshirt suit me too?"

Elsa laughed. "Oops. Sorry if that insulted you, kid." She shrugged indifferently. "But it _is_ pretty trashy. Not something you should wear to one of my concerts, y'know? Got anything related to us?"

"No."

"Not even gloves?" Elsa raised a hand and wiggled her fingers at Anna.

"Are you kidding me? I couldn't find a pair if I tried."

Elsa laughed again, throwing an arm around Anna's neck. "I like this kid!" she announced to the room. "Get her a beer or something. You smoke? I'm sure Sitron has an extra."

"No, thank you," Anna said, wiggling out of Elsa's grip. "I'm too young to drink anyway… and smoking is bad for you."

"What a goodie-two-shoes," Elsa hissed, smirking evermore.

"You don't smoke either, Els," Olaf reminded her.

"Not the point," Elsa said to him, her eyes still on Anna. "How old are you, Anna?"

"Nineteen."

"That makes sense…"

Elsa was actually very intrigued with this girl. If it were any other fan, they would be swooning in front of her and begging for an autograph or something. Anna wasn't falling for any of Elsa's ploys and Elsa _liked_ it. It was a challenge if she ever saw one. She wondered if there was any possible way for her to get Anna to be more open with her. After all, she was _Elsa_. Anna should consider herself lucky.

The girl was rather cute in a kid sister kind of way. Her face was smothered in freckles and Elsa pondered on how many freckles Anna had on her body since they all clearly couldn't fit on her face. There were so many it appeared as if they were dripping down from her cheeks, peppering her collar bone but quickly blocked by the front of a hood. She also had twin, red braids falling over her chest, that stupid college sweatshirt hiding any and all curves Elsa wanted to see if she had, and a pair of worn out jeans over some knock-off Converse. She saw the hem of a plaid shirt sticking out of the bottom-front of the sweatshirt and tried not to snort.

_Typical mountain teenager_, Elsa thought.

"Does it really?" Anna countered, folding her arms across her chest and snapping Elsa out of her thoughts.

_Right. I was talking to this kid,_ Elsa reminded herself.

"Well, sure. Too young to drink but old enough to smoke. You're so innocent, it's delicious," Elsa said, drawing closer. "Are you a virgin?"

"How is that your business?" Anna demanded.

"Just wondering, kid," Elsa said defensively. "It's a normal question."

"Maybe for you."

"Just answer it."

"No."

"Why is such a big deal?"

"I'm curious."

"I don't want to share that information with the likes of _you._"

"Just answer the fucking question!"

Elsa was getting irritated fast. As soon as that last statement rang out, the room fell silent. Anna's lips started to quiver and, for a split second, Elsa thought she had broken the poor girl and made her cry. But Anna started laughing in Elsa's face, stunning the punk and making her smirk slip off her face.

"Oh my god, you're getting upset that I'm not obeying your every command!" Anna teased, grinning at the very thought.

Marshmallow let out a deep bark of laughter at Anna's snide comment, Olaf snickering behind his own bottle of water. Sitron smiled out the window, tapping the ash off his cigarette mindlessly. Elsa drew herself up, trying to hide her flush, displaying her height difference to Anna.

"Are you?" she repeated.

"No, if you _must_ know," Anna said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, so you're not as innocent as you seem," Elsa said, her smirk returning.

"Whatever," Anna said. "What did you want me in here for, anyway?"

"That's right! There was a point to this little chit-chat," Elsa said, strolling away from the redhead. "I wanted to thank you for being my good luck charm. You see, even stars such as myself get nervous during a show and you kept me sane throughout the entire thing." Elsa searched around the vanity for a sharpie. "And I thought you deserved a token of my appreciation. Sitron, you got a piece of paper?"

"There should be one on the table," Sitron said, poking a finger at the coffee table in front of the couch and chair.

Elsa crouched down above the table and uncapped the sharpie, scribbling something down in one fluid motion.

As she did that, someone knocked on the door and Elsa yelled that they could enter. A boy a couple years older than Anna with auburn hair walked in. To Anna's absolute horror, her ex-boyfriend Hans had entered the room, not noticing her petrified gaze.

"You guys almost ready to go? The after party is soon," he said.

"Yeah, yeah, Westerguard," Elsa snapped at him, sending him a glare. "We'll be out in a damn minute."

He grimaced at her attitude. "Can you tell me that nicely?"

"No."

With a roll of his eyes, Hans left the room but not before noticing a paralyzed Anna huddling in the corner. He blinked a few times until a pen cap smacked him in the back of his head.

"Fucking go already!" Elsa ordered.

"Jesus fucking Christ, I'm going," Hans grumbled, slamming the door behind him.

"Don't mind him, baby," Elsa said to Anna, standing up from the table to retrieve the cap, the paper in her hand. "He's a jackass." She approached Anna and handed over the paper, now bearing her autograph. "Here. As a thank you."

"I bet you do this to everyone," Anna said sourly.

"Hey, take it with pride. I only do this to the ones I like," Elsa said, clapping Anna on the shoulder.

"So you'd be the first," Sitron joked. "Elsa hates everyone."

"Fuck you," Elsa growled at him but grinned in spite of herself. "So, thanks, Anna. You should get yourself from Dry Ice stuff. We can use the cash." She winked and bent down, kissing Anna's freckled cheek.

Elsa's soft lips pressed coolly against Anna's warm skin, causing the ginger to freeze. She was struck dumb, her stomach doing all sorts of backflips as Elsa's breath lingered on her face, pulling away with that smirk. She didn't even remember how she left the room. Did someone escort her? Did she leave on her own? Anna couldn't, for the life of her, recall how she ended up in front of her impatient cousin in the empty outdoor parking lot.

"I can_not_ believe you got her autograph," Rapunzel whined as they drove home. "You don't even like them that much."

"Uh-huh," was all Anna could say, staring out the window with lidded eyes.

"I mean, holy shit, Elsa wanted to see _you_ of all people!" Rapunzel hit the steering wheel with her hand, causing them to jerk slightly on the road. "I've liked them since their first EP! _I_ told you about them. The universe fucking hates me!"

Anna allowed her cousin the liberty to rant. It was all she could do because she knew there was no winning this conversation. Insanely jealous, Rapunzel dropped Anna off in front of her dorm without a simple goodbye. Rolling her eyes, Anna plodded up the stairs to her room and collapsed onto her bed as soon as the door shut. Elsa's signature slipped out of Anna's fingers, floating down to the carpeted floor. Anna's jacket smelled of sweat and smoke, her mind holding the memory of rockstar Elsa's pretentious smirk.

* * *

**I was planning on ending it earlier but I didn't want to have you guys wait for an Elsa introduction.**

**The fans' comments about Elsa are a collection of the thoughts of everyone ever (admit it, we're all secretly attracted to Elsa… okay, maybe not so secretly anymore) and the products flying off the shelves is a reference to how the Frozen merchandise is fucking **_**impossible**_** to find because everyone is snatching them left and right. And that hip action is a reference to the fantabulous hip action that Elsa has during let it go when she changes into the ice dress. Because, let's face it, holy fuck she has some mad hip action right there.**

**I will admit, Anna is slightly out of character but so is Elsa. I like playing around with potential personalities but Anna will eventually become more bubbly and awkward like we all know and love her.**

**And I know the beginning is similar to **_**Opposites Attract,**_** another Elsanna rockstar kind of thing, but I promise you I will be taking this story on a very different route.**

**My tumblr: athpluver (follow me if you wish!)**

**Favorite/Follow/Review**

**See you next time!**


	2. On My Way

**In this, I'm trying to make my A/Ns shorter.**

**I apologize in advance for long notes in the near future.**

**We continue on with our friend Anna who had just met the mysterious Elsa that everyone wants to get their hands on… and Anna isn't impressed. Heh.**

**Let's go, my friends.**

* * *

After her finals finished up for the week, Anna was ready to enjoy her summer vacation with her head in books, studying as hard as she could… well, that was her initial plan. Unfortunately when she looked on it from afar, staring at the stack of books on her dorm room desk, she thought of how dreadfully boring it would be.

But it was what she had to do. Maybe she would emerge from her room to grace her friends with her presence. _Maybe._

Rapunzel was still upset at her. This was the longest they had gone without talking since Anna had gone to England in a foreign exchange program as a senior in high school. Even back then it was just two days. Now it had reached a stupendous record of three and a half.

But Anna was giving her cousin the room to seethe and let out her jealousy towards her by isolating herself with her boyfriend to yak about how hurt and betrayed she was. It was the most ridiculous reason to be mad at her, in Anna's opinion. Eugene had even called Anna to apologize for Rapunzel's behavior, telling her that the brunette was just being stupid.

To which Anna agreed wholeheartedly.

The great thing about her college was that it had year-round dorms for those who didn't want to go home over the breaks. Anna loved her parents to death but she knew that if she returned to them, they would distract her from studying.

So she decided it was best to remain on campus for the summer.

On the Friday after the concert, Anna was sitting in the café, enjoying a book that was outside of her study list to get her mind off of school for a little while. Her tea was steaming in front of her, the room full of idle chatter by its occupants. Anna was so engrossed she hadn't realized someone had approached her.

A throat was cleared and she glanced up, finding a very guilt ridden Rapunzel standing before her. The gloves that once homed her hands were gone and she was wearing her usual pink colored clothes instead of black or dark blue to represent the band she loved so much. Her hair was still in the short braid but it looked nice on her so Anna didn't associate it with Elsa.

"Hey," Rapunzel mumbled.

"Hey yourself," Anna said, smiling. "Are you done being mad at me?"

Rapunzel sat herself down across from Anna with a nod. "Yes… I'm sorry," she sighed. "I overreacted a little bit."

Anna shot her a look and the brunette grinned sheepishly.

"Okay, okay. A _lot_ a bit," she admitted. "But I know that you didn't do any of that on purpose… well, duh, of _course_ you didn't. You were dragged along against your will." She raised her eyes from her fiddling hands and bit her lip. "But I've got to ask… what was it like back there? What was _Elsa_ like?"

"It wasn't a fabulous fantasy scene that everyone thinks backstage is… but it was interesting," Anna said with a shrug. She reasoned that she should give Rapunzel the benefit of the doubt and allow her to live vicariously through her experience with the punk. After all, Anna would have probably felt jealous of Rapunzel went backstage with her favorite singer, too. "I mean, it was really cool to see and talk to them as an outsider. You know me and my opinion of these guys. Olaf was a chill guy… Sitron and Marshmallow hardly said anything so I don't know much about them."

"Yeah, they're the quiet ones in any interview they have," Rapunzel said, nodding wisely. "Olaf and Elsa are the talkers. But what was _she_ like?"

Anna fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Elsa was… how can I put this? Snide… sarcastic, seductive (but she'll toot her own horn about it so I wasn't buying it. Ah what else— ooh! Pretentious."

"Pretentious?" Rapunzel repeated, her brow furrowing. "How so?"

"I just… oh my god," Anna trailed off, her eyes widening.

"What?" Her cousin craned her neck to get a glimpse of what Anna was gaping at… only to find the very same person they were talking about stroll into their café.

The noise Rapunzel that escaped her throat was more inhuman than the one she made when Olaf approached them last weekend. Elsa was dressed in a similar outfit she wore during the concert but her tank top was white instead of dark blue. Her black jacket covered her tattoo but her piercings were shining on her ears and at the edges of her right eyebrow in the summer sun leaking through the windows.

Several people spotted her, too, and went mute by the mere sight of her. One-by-one, others realized how silent their friends were going and followed suit, attention quickly landing on the celebrity. Even the whirring of the ice maker seemed to freeze when she stepped over the threshold.

Elsa's cold eyes swept the room until they landed on Anna. That stupid smirk appeared on her face instantly and she walked over, gloved hands in her pants pockets. Rapunzel whirled back around to face Anna, her mouth forming a single line, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment from being in the presence of Elsa. Anna stared at the blonde without blinking, wondering what in the world she could want.

"Hey, Anna," Elsa said, drawing up a chair and plopping down between the two girls as if she was an old friend. "Long time no see."

"Did you _stalk_ me or something?" Anna asked, raising her brows at the punk.

"I asked around about you," Elsa said casually, waving over a waitress. "I wanted to talk to you about a few things. Funny, everyone seemed very confused on why I'd want to speak with _you_. Are you a weird kid or something?"

Anna tried her best not to look offended. She wasn't going to let Elsa get to her again.

"No…" Anna said, shaking her head.

The waitress stumbled over with a pad of paper in her trembling hands. Elsa gave her a simple order of hot chocolate— which Anna nearly snorted at— before continuing her discussion with the redhead.

"Then why was everyone freaking out?" Elsa said, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms.

"Because they're talking to _you_," Anna said. "Everyone here is a giant fanatic—"

"Except Anna," Rapunzel got a quiet word in.

Anna sent her a reproachful look but Elsa started laughing. She brought her fist up to her mouth, grinning into it to conceal the bark of mirth escaping her lips.

"Is she now? What a shame," Elsa grinned, winking at Rapunzel. "Not like you, huh? I'm digging the hairstyle."

The poor girl flushed a deeper shade of red and darted her eyes away, biting her lip to keep herself from grinning stupidly right back. Anna sighed and picked up her tea, taking a deep sip from it. The hot chocolate arrived with the biggest amount of whipped cream Anna had ever seen.

_Jeez. She's so ridiculously famous right now that everyone is trying to please her in the stupidest ways_, Anna thought bitterly.

"Anyway, I was thinking about something, Anna," Elsa said after she tasted her beverage. "I wanted to know what you were doing with your summer."

"Studying," Anna said blandly.

"And that can be done anywhere," Elsa said suddenly.

"Why?" Anna demanded.

"There's something about you, kid, that I like. I can't put my finger on it but… you're a damn excellent good luck charm for me," Elsa said.

"You've only just met me," Anna reminded her. "You can't _possibly_ have any good judgement to—"

"Yeah I do. You're just… different."

"That's a stupid reason."

"Well, tough. I'm asking you anyway. I want you to join me on my summer tour as a roadie."

Anna's mouth went dry and clamped shut. Her brows inched together, almost forming one single brow. Rapunzel was gawking at Anna to Elsa and back again. The café had returned to its buzz moments after Elsa sat down so the redhead was very glad nobody but the three at the table had overheard the request.

A roadie?

"You mean… like… I have to sleep with the band?" Anna wondered, grimacing.

Elsa rolled her eyes. "No. That's a groupie. Roadies help out and make sure the show runs smoothly. But all you'll be doing is making sure I'm not a complete mess before I go on stage, see to it that I have everything I need backstage, and run errands for us when we take a pitstop. I can even pay you with some of the ticket money we get that goes to us, our manager, the crew, y'know." She raised an arm slightly, granting Anna to respond.

"I don't know the first thing about being a roadie!" Anna said. "Besides, I want to focus on my education this summer."

"All you'd be doing is helping me out. You don't have to handle any equipment if you don't want. A fun road trip and study on the way from place to place," Elsa said encouragingly. "What do you think?" She turned her icy eyes on Rapunzel.

"M-me?" she said, pointing to herself.

"You think Anna should take the opportunity?" Elsa said, raising a perfectly sculpted brow.

Rapunzel felt a nudge on her foot and she flicked her green eyes over to Anna. The look on her face told her that Anna was apologetic for getting the request and begging her to not say anything. The brunette opted on shrugging in Elsa's direction. The punk swiped a dollop of whipped cream off the top of her drink with her finger and licked it off, humming in thought.

"I'm sorry, Elsa, even if I wanted to, I could never be a roadie for you," Anna said truthfully.

"Why not? No experience?" Elsa said, her brows shooting into her hairline.

"No. My ex-boyfriend Hans is one of your roadies now," Anna said.

Rapunzel gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. She shook her head at Elsa rapidly. The blonde squinted, curiosity rising in her being.

"Hans Westerguard, you mean?" Elsa said.

Anna nodded darkly, glaring at the floor. "Yup. He cheated on me last year with some girl… I can't stand being in the same room as him anymore."

"She punched him in the face when she found out he cheated," Rapunzel said with a wry smile. "He had to get a false tooth after that."

Elsa forced down a grin. "He's a cheater, huh? I see… well, how unfortunate. What if he was never my roadie. What would you say then?"

"I'd have to tell you…" Anna regarded Elsa carefully. "If you really wanted me, you'd have to prove it. I want to spend a summer studying in closed, comfortable quarters and have peace and quiet when I do so. I don't think you can supply either of those." Anna finished her tea and got to her feet, tucking her book underneath her arm. "So if by some circumstance you have an opening where I wouldn't be working with Hans, find me. I could use the extra cash, too. C'mon, Punzie. My parents wanted to have dinner with me tonight and they were asking about you."

"Ah… right, okay," Rapunzel said with a feeble nod.

As the cousins exited the café, Elsa was left alone at the table. She ran her tongue over the top row of her teeth before standing up. She took a ten dollar bill out of her wallet and tossed it on the table beside her unfinished hot chocolate. She was about to leave after them to head on to her hotel room but paused, gazing sadly at her drink.

She was in no mood to finish it but she didn't want to waste such a delicious beverage. Without many options since she was in a rush, she grabbed a napkin and asked someone for a pen. A blushing girl handed her one and muttered that Elsa could keep it. Elsa winked at her with a polite "thanks" and scribbled down a note to the waitress.

_Couldn't finish it. Amazingly rich so it filled me up. Keep the tip, lovely._

She scratched her autograph on it with a—

_PS: I think that hairband is too much. You would look much cuter with your bangs down._

Satisfied, Elsa headed outside into the warm summer air, removing her jacket and strolling through the campus. Everywhere she went, heads turned and whispers lifted into the air excitedly. She would spare them a glance, smirking and waving at them, winking at almost every girl and boy she saw. Her pathway would sometimes be cut off by enthusiastic fans, asking her to sign little scraps of paper for them.

Finally getting away from the population of Arendelle in her little hotel room she shared with her band members, she threw her jacket hard across the room, hitting Olaf in the back of the head.

"Ow! Els, what the fuck?" he snarled, turning around, rubbing the smarting spot.

"Where is Hans?" she ground out, her icy eyes flashing.

"Vending machine," Sitron supplied.

"Get him," Elsa commanded.

"Why me?" Sitron said defensively.

Elsa reached over and grabbed him by the collar. He was hardly fazed and was scowling down at the shorter girl, daring her to try anything on him.

"Because I told you to," Elsa said lowly, her voice raspy. "You obey your queen, peasant."

"I'll get him," Marshmallow sighed, shaking his head and leaving the room.

Elsa let go of Sitron and grabbed her jacket from the floor. Olaf observed her, his arms folded across his scrawny chest.

"You seem pissed," he viewed.

"I _am_ pissed," Elsa confirmed. "That little shit Anna… she thinks she's so perfect. God, she's infuriating! Who comes to our concerts and not bow to us?"

"Bow to _you_," Sitron corrected.

"I swear to fucking god," Elsa growled at him.

He grinned, raising his gloved hands chest high in surrender. Olaf leaned against the wall, cocking his head to one side.

"But… I thought you wanted her to come with us. You're so impossible to follow, you know that, right?" he told her bluntly.

"I do want her to come. She needs to have some fun. The poor kid looks like she was birthed in the most conservative home imaginable," Elsa said, flopping down onto one of the beds. "The only thing she's done outside the line was have sex before marriage. Who the hell did she fuck anyway?"

_Hans?_ Elsa thought, disgusted. _No way… Well… It would make sense…_

Olaf pursed his lips. "Elsa, if she said no then let it—"

"Don't you _dare_ make that joke now," she warned with a deadly hiss.

The guitarist started to laugh, Sitron joining in shortly. Elsa rolled her eyes heavily, mumbling swears under her breath.

Minutes later, the door swung open and Marshmallow pushed Hans inside like some kind of security guard. The roadie scratched the back of his neck, appearing very confused and annoyed. His eyes turned on Elsa in question.

"You wanted to see me?" he inquired. "And next time find me yourself and don't send one of your goons."

Elsa swung her legs off the bed and marched over to him, a rage everyone was used to following her, tangling in her braid and cackling around them like some electric storm. The other band members turned away. Elsa was angry and they didn't want to fall witness in case she committed something illegal.

Like Sitron, she grabbed Hans' collar but it was far more ferocious and her other fist was pulled back. Hans winced, cringing at a familiar threat that his ex once inflicted upon him when he betrayed her trust. Elsa took a swing but grabbed his jaw tightly between her fingers instead of smacking it and removing another tooth. He made a noise of surprise, eyes searching for an explanation.

She popped his mouth open and peered inside. Then a devilish smirk lit her features.

"You _do_ have a false tooth… I can see it. Slightly outta place," Elsa mused.

"Wha?" Hans said, his speech muffled and strained by Elsa's grip.

"You fucking deserved it, you pig," Elsa said, the smirk melting into a scowl. "And I don't want someone like you hanging around us. You'd give us a bad name if word got out you're a no good cheat."

Hans shoved her hand away, a snarl on his face to match Elsa's.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"You're fired," Elsa told him harshly, turning on her heel and strutting away.

"What!? You can't fire me!" Hans roared but Marshmallow stepped in his way, a silent protector over Elsa.

"Yes, she can," Olaf said, popping out from behind his younger brother. "She pays you. She can kick you out."

"You're an irrational bitch with the biggest ego I've ever had the misfortune to witness!" Hans barked at her. "Fine! I'll leave and take my sponsor with me! Dry Ice is gonna be dried up by the end of this tour anyway!"

"That was an awful pun," Olaf stated dryly. "If she didn't fire you for being a douche, she should most definitely fire you for that."

Marshmallow took Hans by the arm and started ushering him out. Sitron gawked at Elsa, silently agreeing with Hans about how irrational Elsa could be.

"Jesus H. Christ, Elsa! Now we don't have an amp sponsor," he reminded her. "That was a fucking hasty decision!"

"We don't need Hans," Elsa insisted.

"Is this all because of that Anna chick?" Sitron said with a hollow laugh. "Did Hans date her or something?"

"I've had it up to here with him," Elsa said, avoiding the question, and thrusting her gloved hand high above her head. "He's a disrespectful prick that has no off button. And we can find a new sponsor. I already have offers in South Dakota from some family called… ah, I can't remember. But one of the kids is a fan… Anyway…" She turned to Sitron and Olaf, clapping her hands once in bitter encouragement. "Now we have an opening for a new roadie."

"You're a fucking hopeless mess," Olaf chuckled, heading over to the restroom.

"Me?" Elsa snarled.

"Just go and fuck the kid and you'll feel better," Sitron said, opening up a new pack of cigarettes.

"You're absurd," Elsa told him.

"Sexual tension with a stranger, Els. It's called brief chemistry and people commit to have a one night stand to get rid of it—" Sitron stuck a cigarette between his teeth, pocketing the packet and getting out his lighter. "—and it's clear you have it in for this girl."

"Whatever… I think she'd be fun to play with," Elsa admitted. "Like a summer toy. Give her some road experience… maybe she'll loosen up and start to actually have fun for once. Plus, I could use another chick on this tour. I'm stuck with a damned sausage fest and I'm the gayest one of the bunch."

"And I'm the absurd one," Sitron chortled, lighting up.

* * *

It was tempting, she had to admit it. Never before had she been on a road trip for a long period of time and traveling around was something she loved doing. And if she got paid for just lounging around in a tour bus with the hottest band in current events, perhaps she could finally upgrade from her crappy 2007 iMac to a Macbook Air… but even that would be a stretch. But Elsa was infuriating for so many reasons that Anna's will to have a summer in which she would remain sane was weighing over her interest in joining Dry Ice on a tour.

Then again… it would get her away from any homebound distractions such as her friends and family. If she could have some time to herself in her own hotel room at night to study, she might be able to do just as she planned. Just with the responsibility of helping and working during the day.

While she washed the dishes with her mother after their meal, she told her about Elsa's offer and what she thought. Her mother thought it was a fantastic idea for Anna to go out and explore the country, come out of her shell and live a little.

"Honey, you've been cooping yourself up in your bedroom since forever and this will be a good and healthy experience," said Faye.

"But _Mom, _it'll be with rockstars! What if I get addicted to weed or something," Anna tried to reason.

"You don't get addicted to weed," Faye said, shaking her head at her daughter. "Besides, you're a responsible young lady so I don't worry. Study on your downtime and get paid when you work. You know, your father used to be in a band."

Anna blew a raspberry. "Yeah, when he was sixteen. But they didn't take off."

"Hey now, we could have but your uncle was too chicken to go for it!" David called from the living room, a giggle by Rapunzel following.

"Listen— this deal sounds great and perhaps you can learn a thing or two. A little traveling, a little rebellion is good for a teenager," Faye said.

"Mom, it's not rebellion if you're giving the okay," Anna pointed out.

Regardless of Anna's attempts to make them see the light, her parents both agreed that Anna would get nothing but good experience from stuffing herself in a tour bus with Dry Ice and traveling across America and back.

After the dishes were washed and the discussions ended, she and Rapunzel parted ways, Anna heading up to her dorm to contemplate on Elsa's offer some more.

Only to find the damned punk waiting for her, a cup of… _some_thing in her gloved grip. She was leaning on the railing protecting the flower garden that Anna had planted with her neighbor that spring just below the stairs that lead to Anna's room.

_Those stupid gloves_, Anna thought, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Okay, now I'm convinced you're stalking me."

"I _asked_, ginger ale," Elsa said. "Jesus, I'm not a creep."

"You look like one," Anna decided to shoot. _Ginger ale? What the actual fuck?_

"Oh, I'm _so_ hurt," Elsa said sarcastically, clutching her heart with false pain. "Anna, you've wounded me."

"What do you want?" Anna sighed, folding her arms over her chest.

"Hans is no longer in my service," Elsa said, standing straight and facing the redhead.

"I really hope you didn't fire him because of me," Anna said, her face dropping into slight concern and overall seriousness. "That's not cool on so many levels."

"To be perfectly honest with you, I've been looking for a reason to kick him out," Elsa said. "But none of my motives have been strong enough for me to pursue them. I'm lazy, I'll admit it. You gave me the perfect little push and I thank you for it." She did a little bow. "So, I'm here to tell you that my offer still stands for you to come along on this tour."

"How much would I get paid exactly?" Anna said abruptly.

"Hard to say currently, kid," Elsa said earnestly, scratching the back of her head. "But it's enough to save up for something decent."

"Uh huh… well, when do you leave?" Anna inquired.

"Monday. So I'll need your answer by Sunday afternoon to get some arrangements made. Not all of our roadies have traveled with us on the same bus so you'd be a special case," Elsa said. "A lot of our tech help is local in the towns we visit, you see."

"I have some demands."

"Naturally."

"I want my own hotel room in every hotel we book. It can be the cheapest, crappiest thing in the world with bloodstains and tape on the floor where a dead body used to be, I don't care, but I am _not_ sharing it with any of you. That will be my time to study. That and when we're on the road and I have my iPod in my ears." Anna pointed at her ears in example. "Unless it's an emergency, I don't like being disturbed when I have those in, understand?"

"I can make some arrangements. I can even set you up with your own little quarters in the tour bus," Elsa said. "If you find this all up to snuff, your Highness, then you can give me an answer now and we can hit the road early Monday morning."

"You're… you're an interesting character, Elsa," Anna said. "I'm having a hard time figuring you out."

"Why thank you," Elsa said with that smirk lighting up her lips. "I take that in pride. So, kid. Yes or no?"

Anna stared up at her dorm room, waiting for her to clamber inside and spend the next three months holed up in a hot, stuffy room. She was harshly reminded of the taunting fact of how boring it would be spending her summer alone and how much she would eventually regret the decision of not going with the band.

Getting paid to hang out with Dry Ice sounded all too tempting now… but how would she tolerate Elsa?

Well, that would be an easy task. She could annoy Elsa just as much Elsa could annoy her. They had a balance already and they only had three encounters. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad… maybe it was time for a change.

"I guess it'll be a yes," Anna said, almost cringing at her final answer.

Elsa's face lit up like a tree on Christmas much to Anna's surprise. "Fucking awesome!" She seemed to realize her enthusiasm had skyrocketed and she flushed, scowling and coming down from her excitement quickly. "I mean… great. That's great."

Anna fought a smile. "When should I meet with you? And where?"

"We'll be hanging out by the theatre from the concert you went to, kid. Meet us there around six on Monday morning and then we'll hit the road…" Elsa eyed the ginger. "Make sure you pack for a three and a half month trip."

"Will we be back by September?" Anna wondered anxiously.

"Yeah, yeah, no worries," Elsa said, waving away Anna's concern. "You'll be back in time for your sissy school."

"At least I go to school," Anna retorted.

"Try and come up with a better comeback, kid, 'cause you're gonna need as many as you can when you hand with us. You wouldn't wanna be a laughing stock."

"I'm dreadfully scared." Anna rolled her eyes and started to climb up to her dorm. "I'll see you Monday, I guess."

"See you." The punk raised her hand in farewell as she turned on her heel, strutting off to her next destination.

Anna watched her leave from the little balcony, hearing the dull thud of Elsa's combat boots as they slammed on the pavement, letting everyone around her know that she was a big deal and they should stay the hell away from her. With a slight shake of her head, Anna entered her dorm and pondered on how in the world she had managed to get herself in a whole lot of trouble already.

She could just feel it.

* * *

She wondered if asking her cousin for a ride was going to be something she would regret on the way to the theatre. But Rapunzel was nothing but ecstatic to drive Anna to the tour bus with one condition of getting an autograph from Elsa. With a dry laugh, Anna said she would do anything in her small amount of power to ask Elsa to accommodate to her cousin's wish.

Anna had packed two small duffle bags of clothes, toiletries, and the general essentials, a little purse with her wallet and notebooks and reading materials, and her computer bag holding her laptop with its charger and several other chargers for her phone and iPod. She was still having a hard time believing she had agreed to travel with the band as she and Rapunzel chugged along the empty streets, the outdoor theatre coming into view on the horizon.

"I think your mom was right though," Rapunzel offered, glancing at Anna. "This will be good for you. Experience with a real band… I mean, so many people would, like, _kill_ for this opportunity."

"Mm," Anna mumbled, tugging at one of her braids. "I still don't know why I'm suddenly a perfect candidate for a roadie."

"You'll get the hang of things. You always do."

They pulled up to the tour bus a few minutes later to find Marshmallow and Oaken hanging out by the front. The bus was like any regular bus Anna had seen online that carried bands from place to place. The outside was white with the band's name in Metallica-esque text in black along the bottom of the darkened windows. Light blue snowflakes flowed in a pattern near the words and around the wheels, making it a little more outstanding than a normal bus.

Anna jumped out of the car and waved with uncertainty at the two incredibly bulky men. Marshmallow recognized her and made his way over, giving her a pillow soft smile that instantly calmed her nerves.

"Hello, Anna," he said in a deep voice. "Elsa and everyone is in the bus… you have stuff?"

"Uh-huh," Anna nodded. "And, hey, my cousin is wondering if she can get an autograph from Elsa."

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind," Marshmallow assured her. "Here, let me get your things."

The way he spoke was slow like molasses but it had a low rumble to it that could shake the trees into a gentle breeze, as if he were an abominable snowman who cared for injured animals with soft cooing noises and food from his own gathering. Anna found an urge to be picked up by this guy and sit on his shoulders so she could see all the way to New York. That kind of brother that lets his little siblings rest on his head to view the parade better over the heads of taller people who— in Anna's opinion— should be in the back to be more considerate to the shorter folks such as herself.

He went around to the back of the car and collected Anna's luggage before lugging them into the bus. Oaken was toying with keys, checking his watch and looking around expectantly. Rapunzel met with Anna on her side of the car, fiddling with her fingers anxiously, and "oohing" at the tour bus with a hint of longing in her green orbs.

The redhead wasn't so sure if she was to just parade inside and take her place as a new crew member just like that. Marshmallow didn't emerge after a few minutes. Instead, Elsa came climbing out, a scrap of paper in her grasp. Rapunzel and Anna both dropped their jaws against their will.

_Bold_, was Anna's first thought.

And that was the perfect word to describe Elsa. Bold. She was wearing black skinny jeans, blue Converse, and a sports bra with those gloves over her hands. Sashaying her way towards the slack-jawed cousins. And did Elsa ever have a body, the sports bra exposing her toned stomach. It was fit— the perfect kind of body to bounce and dance around the stage for hours on end— and her muscles were peeking out enough to know that they existed but enough to hide them beneath the skin.

_How can someone just walk out like that?_ Anna asked herself, clamping her mouth shut and reaching over to do the same to Rapunzel. _I could never pull that off._

"Anna, baby, so glad you could make it on time," Elsa purred. "You are… Punzie?"

"Rapunzel… but you can call me Punzie if it pleases you," Rapunzel peeped.

"Oh, please, she's not a queen," Anna objected.

"Au contraire, I am Queen Elsa to my fans," the punk teased, handing Rapunzel the paper that bore her autograph on it. "And I serve my subjects well." She leaned down and gave Rapunzel a kiss on the cheek much like she did to Anna on the night of the concert. "Thanks for the support. Any friend of Anna's is a friend of mine."

The brunette flushed and she pressed her lips together, trying to keep her cool in front of Elsa. Anna rolled her eyes, getting the strong feeling she was going to be doing a lot of that over the journey.

_So much for being a special case_, Anna went on to think.

"Anna, now that you're here, I can show you around what will be your home for the next three and a half months," Elsa said.

The ginger turned to her cousin with a smile. "Thanks for the ride," she said.

"Anytime," Rapunzel assured, grabbing Anna into a hug. "Have an awesome time. I'm glad you're doing something fun this summer."

"Ha… me too," Anna agreed. "Don't go too crazy while I'm gone."

"I'll try," Rapunzel winked. "Um, bye… Elsa. It's been an honor to meet you."

"It's always nice to meet my fans," Elsa assured.

Rapunzel rounded her car and jumped in the driver's seat, watching as Anna was dragged along by Elsa towards the tour bus. Anna looked over her shoulder, catching Rapunzel start to drive away, feeling a heaviness in her heart. Leaving her home was hard but not seeing her cousin, her best friend since birth, for three months except over FaceTime made Anna sad to go. Elsa paused, noticing Anna's sudden reluctance and frowned.

"Hey, look, if you really don't want to do this, I'm not gonna force you into it," Elsa said. "I admit, I was a little abrasive but I can get like that… you'll learn that on the way."

"No, I want to," Anna said with a firm nod, facing Elsa. "Everyone so far told me that this will be a good experience… I need to do something with my time other than study. I'm with you."

With a cat-like grin, Elsa clapped Anna hard on the shoulder.

"You're a fucking trooper, kid," Elsa praised. "I like that in you. Let's get on done with the tour so we can start our trip." She lead Anna up to Oaken, who was leaning against the bus. Anna was surprised he wasn't making it tilt with his humungous size and height. "This is Oaken. He's our body guard slash driver. He's a big teddy bear on the inside so don't get scared of him… just don't piss him off." The last part was whispered coolly into Anna's ear.

"Noted," Anna nodded weakly, waving her fingers at the large man.

He beamed down at her and waved with bear-paw-like hands. "Hoo-hoo, Anna!"

"Oaken, we'll leave in five minutes, cool?" Elsa said, stepping up the stairs.

"Yes, of course," Oaken nodded.

"C'mon, kiddo, lemme show you around," Elsa coaxed, grabbing Anna's hand and yanking her inside.

Anna's mouth fell open for the second time that day. The tour bus was incredible for such a new band. In the front was naturally a little area for the driver and a passenger to sit and watch the road as they crossed the country, a big leather seat to fit the mass that was Oaken with a big bus wheel. But the seats were separated from the rest of the bus by walls, creating an entrance to the main part of the bus. Anna stepped cautiously in, peeking around the place she was going to call home, her beat up knock-off sneakers making dull clicks on the hardwood floor.

When she stood in the doorway, she could see directly to the end. On her right was a large couch that was now housing Marshmallow, a booth that could seat four but was currently seating Sitron and Olaf, and an L-shaped kitchen that was the size of the couch, slightly going against the wall that separated the main room with three bunks tucked away in the wall down a small hall leading to the master bedroom. On her left was an entertainment center with a flatscreen against a hunk of sideways wall and another couch that was half the size of the one Marshmallow was resting against with an end table by the furthest arm, which was tucked between that and what Anna was assumed was the bathroom before it joined again with bunks.

Along the walls that were seen and not taken up by windows hung posters and guitars. There was a retro looking clock above the end table, the posters ranging from Dry Ice to No Doubt.

It was nothing like Anna had ever seen. It was so cozy that she was drawn into it like a bee to a flower, stepping deeper inside against her will, teal eyes flashing from the couches to the posters to the people hanging around. Elsa slid past her and beckoned her over.

"C'mon. There's a bit more you gotta see," she said.

"Hi, Anna!" Olaf greeted merrily, waving at her.

"Hey, goody-two-shoes," Sitron snorted.

Anna waved at them as she and Elsa strode into the small space between the bunks. Elsa pointed to an open door that led into the master bedroom with a queen sized bed and its own little television, dresser, and desk.

"This is my bedroom," Elsa said. "And right here—" She rested a gloved hand against a slanted door to the left of her bedroom door and a few inches away from the left bunk spaces. "—are your sleeping quarters. It's small and not a lot of walking space but I think it''ll suit you." Elsa threw the door open to reveal the tiniest room Anna had ever seen.

Carpet floored and the white walls, waiting to be papered with posters. Her bed was a twin, shoved up against the wall with a beside table with a lamp on top and clothing drawers underneath it between the bed and wall that separated her from Elsa. There were outlets for chargers and shelf space for other essentials above her pillow where her bags were waiting for her. At the foot of the bed, going up to the center of the wall was a shelf were a tiny television was resting.

"You're lucky to get this room. Olaf and Sitron have been arguing over it but I told them that this is for our special guest so they let you have it out of the kindness of the holes that used to hold their hearts," Elsa quipped. "It's not much…"

"I like it," Anna said. "Thank you."

"Fantastic," Elsa chuckled. "Get yourself all prepped. We should be heading off very shortly."

The punk left her in her new room, shutting the door behind her. Anna lowered herself onto the bed, feeling as if she was in a tiny hotel room. It smelled fresh, at least, like a maid had passed through here first thing in the morning. The redhead pulled out her clothes and started stuffing them into the drawers, setting up her things on the shelf space— thankful that there were mini railings at the edges to keep anything from falling on her whilst she slept— and kicked off her shoes. She rested in a supine position, gazing up at the ever white ceiling, rubbing her socked feet together as she thought.

This was really happening. She was actually going to travel around with the hottest band… no, the "_coolest_" band according to all the articles (which Anna thought was stupid since Dry Ice is actually hot to the touch but whatever the media was dumb).

Exhilaration thrummed through her veins as she allowed a smile bless her freckled features. She sat up and slid off the bed, ready to check out the rest of the bus and view what it had to offer. But as soon as she reached one of the couches, the ignition started and Anna was thrown off balance, landing on the couch. Dry Ice laughed and cheered, their journey across country just beginning.

"Next stop: Vegas!" Elsa whooped, punching the air with a gloved fist.

* * *

**Anna was conflicted but now she is ready for some fun. I looked up so much information about tour buses and searched a bunch of pics and tried to collaborate a shit ton of different bus ideas. The color scheme I'm leading up to your imaginations so have fun. I picture it with warm colors but that's just me.**

**Oh, and if you didn't know: Sitron is the name of Hans' horse (confirmed by Jen Lee herself). I was gonna make Sven the bassist but I have plans for him later. Fun fact for the day.**

**Hijinks with the band coming your way.**

**Fav/Follow/Review**

**See you next time!**


	3. Waking Up in Vegas

**I've been hooked on this idea and I think that's why I'm churning out so many chapters. I'll eventually slow my roll but in a good way. I have other fics to tend to, as well and I'd like this one to last.**

**Loving the feedback and I'm so glad you like it so far! Also check out "Sun Kissed" for some more Elsanna if you want :)**

* * *

Watching the band from the inside was one of the most fascinating things Anna had ever witnessed. Sometime after she explored the bus, Anna had returned to her room to get a head start on some studying but found that it was hard to concentrate. She was too eager to sit still and stick her nose in a book for a few hours. So she had opted on listening to some music and took a short nap to regain the sleep she had lost from getting up early that morning.

But once she woke up from that, she was sitting in the booth of the bus, watching Olaf and Sitron play each other in a round of Guitar Hero. Elsa was in the kitchen, talking on the phone with their manager— according to Marshmallow— and said drummer was cuddled up in his bunk (which Anna was surprised to find he could fit inside).

It was like a normal family if Anna had ever seen one as an outsider. All her life, she was the only child in an average American family with Norwegian roots. A mother, a father, and a daughter in a two story house with a backyard and a dog. Classic.

But this family before her had no parents to be seen unless one counted Oaken as the father…

_No,_ Anna mused. _More like an uncle everyone loves._

As she tried to work everyone out in her head, she was joined in the booth by Elsa, sitting directly across from her, averting her vision from the guitarist and bassist bickering over the score and to the blonde.

"Excited?" Elsa asked, leaning back in the plush seat and throwing a toned arm across the top of it.

Anna tried her best not to leer. Lately girls had been her target for affections but Elsa wasn't her type… but her body was just sort of… there.

"Yeah, sure," Anna said, forcing herself to stare at Elsa's face. "So Vegas is our first stop?"

"That's our first concert stop, yeah," Elsa nodded. "It would be our first official stop from Arendelle but…" She threw a scowl over her shoulder. "_Some_body fucking forgot to go grocery shopping."

Olaf cast her a reproachful glare, pouting as Sitron snickered.

"I was sidetracked with a few important things," Olaf defended, turning back to the screen.

"Yeah, that one chick that was running the register," Sitron mocked. "You couldn't step over the fucking threshold without whimpering."

Elsa rolled her eyes and kicked her now bare feet up on the seat across her, Anna grimacing slightly down at the blue and black painted toenails joining her. She noted the small tattoo on Elsa's ankle— an outline of a broken heart. How many tattoos did this girl have?

"I think it's sweet," Anna supplied, earning a smile from Olaf.

"As sickly sweet as it is, kid, we need to have food in here," Elsa pointed out. "Which has now become one of your jobs. I'll give you some cash and you get some groceries for the bus. Nothin' fancy. Anything that we can make without burning the place down."

"So I'm, what, your errand girl?" Anna said sourly.

"No, not at all," Elsa said with a shake of her head. "That's only every other stop depending on how much we devour over the trip. And, hey, thank fucking god for leftovers, am I right?"

"Uh-huh," the redhead said blandly. "What other tasks must I complete over this journey?"

"Ah… let's see." Elsa scratched the back of her head in thought. "You have to make sure that we have what we need backstage. And I'll tell you this now: I hate every single bottled water in the world except Arrowhead."

"Yeah she once threw a damn fit when this one town only had Fiji," Sitron said, he and Olaf starting a new round of Guitar Hero.

"I'm just saying, this is what roadies are for! Making sure I don't become a regular Justin Bieber," Elsa said, making Anna laugh.

"I'll keep that in mind," Anna promised. "What else?"

"Basically whatever else that I can come up with," Elsa said, shrugging. "Being a roadie isn't too hard. You're like a personal assistant but way cooler 'cause you're working for a band."

"Is she getting paid?" Marshmallow spoke up.

"'Course she is," Elsa said. "I'd be a bitch if I didn't pay the kid."

"You're a bitch otherwise," Sitron joked.

Elsa grabbed a napkin from the dispenser on the table, balled it up, and threw it at his head. Olaf let out a bark of laughter, victorious as he took the lead in the score for Sitron had distracted himself by whirling around to throw the napkin back at her.

"Ah, fuck!" Sitron cried, realizing his mistake and starting up again, trying to reach the score Olaf had gained.

Elsa and Anna watched the game for a while until a thought struck the ginger. She faced the celebrity and cleared her throat, catching Elsa's attention. The blonde quirked a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, Anna taking that as an invite to ask her question.

"I've got to know… why in the world did you want me as your roadie? Your good luck charm isn't a very convincing argument," Anna said.

"True, my motives are a little different. I suppose it's because you don't fawn over me like the rest of my fans do," Elsa said cockily.

"I don't think I will anytime soon," Anna countered.

"I'll soon change that."

"You're a very confident person, aren't you?"

"You don't even have to like me to know that, kid."

"I don't not like you," Anna said, shaking her head. "I'm just not a fan like you think."

Elsa rolled her eyes yet again that day. "Whatever, Anna, say what you want."

"You're incredibly frustrating, you know that, right?"

"That's her forte," Marshmallow quipped.

"You know, I think that's why you intrigue me so much," Elsa said, removing her feet from beside Anna so she could lean forward. "You're not afraid to tell me off and give me shit. Anyone else in my fandom wouldn't dare. It would kill them first… like if you're in the Marvel fandom and you try to insult Tom Hiddleston. It just doesn't work out because you _can't_. You have this courage that really speaks to me. It's pretty fucking bold."

"Me? Bold?" Anna snorted. "I'm not the one traipsing around in my sports bra."

"Valid point, kid," Elsa smirked. "And hey, why aren't you studying?"

"I couldn't concentrate. I'll get a jump on it tonight before I go to bed," Anna said.

"Shame. I thought you were gonna ditch the idea."

"Unlike you, I actually care about my education." Anna rose to her feet and scooted out of the booth. "When are we gonna stop so I can make a list on what to get at the market."

"You don't need a list, we're not picky," Olaf assured her.

"Yeah, don't sweat it," Elsa said, waving away Anna's comment.

Anna made her way back to her room as Elsa declared it was her turn to play Guitar Hero. As she reached the door, Marshmallow's hand had found its way on her shoulder. She looked behind her to find that the enormous man had slipped out of bed quieter than a church mouse. He smiled down at her and handed her a piece of paper with his childish scrawl on it with the words "grocery list" at the top.

"They're _very_ picky but they don't like to admit it," he said gently, winking at her. "This'll help you out."

She smiled back at him. "Thank you," she breathed.

With a kind grunt, he turned back around and lumbered into the main area, sinking into the couch to watch Elsa try to best Olaf in a round of Guitar Hero. Anna entered her room and looked over the list. She found out that it was far more detailed than she had anticipated and struggled to let a giggle escape.

_Grocery List:_

_Arrowhead water because Elsa's a priss.  
__Ramen noodles that are only beef flavored. Sitron won't allow anything else in the bus.  
__Any type fruit. But not too much or money will be wasted along with rotten fruit.  
__Popcorn but _not_ Jiffy pop. I don't trust Olaf working an oven anymore.  
__Breakfast stuff but we usually eat out for breakfast so… up to you.  
__Sodas. Elsa likes Pepsi, Olaf likes Coke, Sitron likes Seven Up, and I frankly drink anything.  
__Chocolate. Tons of chocolate.  
__Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream. Any kind. Elsa loves the stuff.  
__Frozen Pizzas. Pepperoni is the best but again, any kind.  
__Instant meals that you find in the frozen section. Anything cheap but nothing with too many vegetables as a side.  
__Protein shake stuff. Elsa likes to keep her body image.  
__Snack packages like bags of chips that come in a box. It keeps them quiet.  
__Eggs._

Marshmallow was very blunt with his list but it was humorous nevertheless. Anna felt a rush of gratitude towards the drummer. She wouldn't have known any of this information if it weren't for him. Anna rested the list on her bedside table and tugged on her shoes just in case they came to a stop so she could run to the nearest market and provide the big babies with food.

She took another look around her little room, patting a tiny beat on her knees absentmindedly. Then she looked down at her hands and frowned. Even when they weren't on stage, everyone in the band wore gloves. _Oaken_ wore gloves. Anna was the odd man out, her hands as bare and naked as a new born baby. She could count the constellations of freckles splattered against the back of her hand, trailing up her arms until her scrunched at the elbows sleeves stopped any wandering eyes from continuing the path of Anna's flawed skin.

_Flaws_, Anna thought. _ Mom said that a face without freckles… is like the sky without stars. Elsa has freckles…_

Anna had taken notice to the punk's lightly dusted beauty marks across her cheeks. They were dark enough to stand out on her fair skin but light enough to be missed when someone gave her a furtive glance. She had seen Elsa up close— against her will— when the punk had leaned in to give her that kiss on the cheek.

The late morning melted into early afternoon, the tour bus chugging along the highway. Anna had actually got some studying done and read one of the books she brought along for entertainment. Around the late afternoon, she returned to the main area to find the bus exiting the freeway.

"We're stopping for lunch," Elsa explained as Anna stumbled over the turbulence of the road beneath them, trying to inch her way towards one of the couches. "You hungry? We're grabbing whatever."

"That's fine just—" Anna toppled over as they hit a bump, almost falling flat on her face. But her wrist was caught by Olaf's gloved hand, saving her from losing a tooth or two.

He grinned as he yanked her up. "Careful, ginger, or you'll be eating wood for lunch."

Sitron started cracking up and Elsa snorted into her fist. Marshmallow heaved a sigh, sending his older brother a look of slight disgust. Anna colored realizing the innuendo at her expense and balanced herself.

"Thanks for the save," she grunted, flopping on the couch. "Are we gonna be near a market so I can get the food?"

"Oaken, babe!" Elsa called. "Try stoppin' near a Ralph's or something so Anna can run a couple of errands for us."

"I'll keep my eyes open," Oaken replied, raising his right hand to signal he understood.

"Where are we now?" Anna asked, peering out the window.

"Somewhere near Sacramento," Sitron said.

"Wow… I didn't realize how close to there I lived," Anna whispered. "Kind of weird… how long have we been driving?"

"Eh, about… what?" Olaf looked at his band mates for help. "Maybe five hours?"

"No way." Elsa shook her head. "A little less than that."

"Does it really fucking matter?" Sitron said.

"You're a piece of sunshine," Olaf said critically.

Anna checked in her pocket to see if the list was there since she had left the room. She wondered how much Elsa would give her to spend so she could properly stock up the mini kitchen.

Slowly, the bus came to a halt in some parking lot and Elsa got to her feet, heading towards her bedroom. She returned with a shirt and a one hundred dollar bill, handing the latter to Anna.

"I'd like the change back, if you don't mind," she said. "This town looks pretty small so I'm sure you can find your way back here. Whaddya want from the fast food place?"

"Uh… anything. I don't care," Anna said.

"Cool. All right, boys, let's get going," Elsa said, pulling on her shirt.

_At least she has some decency to not parade her body out in the general public_, Anna thought, following them out of the bus. _It would cause their fans to collapse for sure._

Oaken stepped out last and stood in front of the door, arms folded across his chest, making sure nobody came to ransack the place.

The band broke off from Anna and strode down the street to the nearest place for cheap, unhealthy food. The ginger, on the other hand, tucked the bill into her jeans pocket and started her journey to the market.

She returned first, balancing several bags on both arms. Oaken took notice to her struggle and rushed over to help, giving her a smile covered in a thick, light blonde mustache. Together they put away the food in the kitchen, stuffing the sodas in the fridge and the frozen meals in the freezer. She had managed to get all the items on the list and was very proud of herself for doing so. She hid the list in the top drawer of her bedside table for future reference and decided she would add to it when she learned more about Dry Ice and their preferences to food.

Once the band returned to the bus, Oaken started the engine and they headed off once again, everyone in the back indulging on Taco Bell. Halfway through the meal, Elsa inspected the newly stocked kitchen and nodded in approval.

"You've got good taste, kiddo, I'll give you that," Elsa said, smirking at Anna. "A lot of great choices." The punk stretched and massaged her neck. "I'm gonna do some writing for our next album. Knock if you need me." Elsa gave them a two-fingered salute before heading off. Sitron and Olaf returned to the television but instead pulled up a cartoon to watch.

Anna sent Marshmallow a smile and mouthed "thank you" to him. He inclined his head to her, clearing up the table.

* * *

It was her first night sleeping in her room and Anna was a little excited. She changed in the restroom into her pajamas— a T-shirt and boxer shorts— and brushed her teeth, re-braided her hair, and flossed. When she stepped out, Elsa was drinking water in the kitchen in nothing but a bra and boxers and her ever present gloves.

"Dude, what the hell?" Anna cried, flailing an arm.

"The female body is nothing but natural, Anna," Elsa said wisely. "It's sexualized against its will."

"I just don't want to walk out and see you in nothing but your bra and boxers over your undies," Anna whined.

"I don't wear underwear beneath my boxers unless it's for a monthly reason," Elsa told her, quirking a brow.

Anna flushed and rolled her teal eyes. "Whatever. But what about them?" She jabbed a finger at the boys who were oblivious to the conversation between them, eyes glued to the TV. "Boys are… are…"

"Are very well aware that I date girls," Elsa finished. "And they're like my brothers. They don't care. Plus, Oaken is married to his _husband_." The blonde smirked. "But thanks ever so much for your concern."

"Shut up," Anna grumbled. "Fine, whatever."

"And you're wearing boxers, too."

"In lieu of sleeping pants and I own panties, thank you very much."

Elsa snickered as Anna huffed back to her room, loving the fact she was getting under Anna's skin and making her hot and bothered. The redhead shut the door behind her and she stuffed the clothes back into one of the bags before collapsing onto the bed. She studied for a few minutes before she decided that her phone was calling for her to check out Tumblr.

She fell asleep shortly afterward, the humming and chugging of the bus lulling her into a dreamless slumber, her arms hugging the soft pillow, the clean sheets crisp over her lithe figure. She was thankful that her room had its own little air conditioning otherwise she would have been hot underneath the blankets and the tightness of the room around her.

Her thoughts wandered, as she fell asleep, to the concert ahead. Her first official day on the job was soon upon her.

* * *

That morning, they were crossing the border from California to Nevada, heading down to meet with the infamous Sin City where gamblers and big shots came to enjoy themselves for a weekend or so, creating memories that will forever fester in the walls of hotel rooms, strip clubs, and casinos.

The bus parked behind a large theatre where Dry Ice would be featured that night. The band stepped out, adrenaline rushing through their veins. Anna followed meekly behind them, taking in the sight of Vegas as it boomed before her. She wondered how it would look at night with all the lights blinding the occupants of the streets. Elsa threw her arms around Anna's neck and pulled her into a side hug.

"Look at this place, kid!" Elsa said, extending her other arm and gesturing to the city splayed out before them. "A place where everyone can let go for a few hours and commit the sins they've always yearned to… except murder… well… fuck, I'm certain there have been plenty of those here."

"That's great and all but aren't I supposed to be helping set up?" Anna asked, wriggling out of Elsa's hug, poking a finger to Oaken who was unloading the equipment from the space that was gutted on the side of the bus, underneath the windows, that homed the drum sets and guitars and other items essential for the band.

"Ah, you'll have time for that later. You're nineteen, you can't gamble but we'll find other things to do," Elsa said. "Oaken, are you all good here? Need techies to help out?"

He gave her the thumbs up. "Go on and have fun. Just remember that you have to be back before lunch for practice."

"Of course," Elsa nodded, pressing a hand against Anna's back and shoving her forward. "C'mon, babe, let's sleaze you up somehow."

_I'm slowly realizing this is becoming a big mistake_, Anna thought bitterly as she was led onto the strip like a dog on a leash.

The band started going through shops, chatting loudly and gaining much attention from local and visiting fans. People eventually swarmed them, Anna being scooted aside by one particularly snide girl. With a roll of her teal eyes, she viewed Dry Ice as they signed autographs and T-shirts, the four of them glowing with all the praise and attention they were getting, eating it up like an all-day buffet one of these casinos was sure to have.

She decided to let them be and walk around on her own, view Vegas in a different life. There was something in the back of her mind that wanted her to get her fake ID that was back in the bus and gamble a little. But that thing was for emergencies only.

"Jesus, if Elsa could hear me, she'd laugh in my face," Anna grunted.

She continued to stride down the sidewalks in the sweltering, dry heat that was the desert surrounding her, thinking about her new position as a roadie. What would she do once she got on stage? Help out with tech? Make sure the equipment was in place? Elsa had told her that Anna had to simply ensure that needs were met but there had to be something more to that, right?

Deciding that she had enough of the heat, she trekked back to where she had left the band surrounded and drowning in fans. But they weren't there. With a heavy sigh, Anna stuck her hands in her pockets and made her way to the bus, hoping to be useful in a job she was given.

Anna found Oaken by the bus, carrying Olaf's ice-white guitar tenderly in his paws. He jerked his head to the right, indicating he wanted her to follow him.

"Do the others know you're back here?" Oaken asked.

"Are you kidding? They were swallowed by fans and I was left abandoned on the strip to be eaten by buzzards," Anna mumbled, tugging on one of her braids. "Or be discovered by a pimp… or seduced by a group of hookers… or wake up some time the next morning with the boys in a trashed hotel room, Elsa's missing, I'm married to a stripper, and we slug around Vegas with someone else's baby trying to find the stupid idiot herself."

Oaken chuckled. "I'm sure they're just distracted. They'll be along soon."

"Yeah. Okay, can you tell me what to do here? I'm a little nervous," she admitted.

"I'll show you the steps," he promised.

The pair made it to the stage door and Oaken flashed his crew member ID to a security guard. Anna searched for hers and realized she had yet to get one. The guard looked her over and pursed his lips.

"She's with me," Oaken said, placing a big hand on her shoulder kindly.

The security guard shrugged and allowed them inside. Once they entered, the climbed up a flight of stairs to the main stage area.

"Whoa," Anna breathed.

Techies were swarming the stage, setting up for the concert ahead. Roadies for the opening band were strolling around, checking that equipment was in the right place for any and all set changes. Security guards lumbered about the audience with clean-up crew, the sounds of sweeping clashing with drills and clangs of metal on metal.

"It is impressive, yah?" Oaken grinned.

"Way cool," Anna said. "So… what do I have to do?"

"Find a caterer and see if anything Dry Ice has requested has been fulfilled," Oaken said. "Remember, Elsa prefers Arrowhead, Marshmallow is fine with just about anything, Olaf's preferred snack is peanut M&Ms, and Sitron… he's hard to please but if you have Seven Up he'll keep his mouth shut."

"Right… thanks, Oaken," Anna said. "But don't I need a crew ID like you?"

He sighed. "Elsa should have given you one. Here, stay put and I'll grab you an extra from the bus glove compartment. We'll make it official on the way to Tucson with a photo… I'll be right back." He handed her Olaf's guitar and stumped off.

As she waited, she took in the backstage area around her. There was a wide open hallway that lead to dressing rooms and sitting areas. A table with snacks and beverages was tucked against a wall with some roadies hovering over it with hungry eyes. A group of crew members were smoking by the entrance to the stage, watching as some techies ascended a glass chandelier that looked as if it were made of ice, Anna assuming it was for Dry Ice's set. Drums were being tested and guitars tuned, mics checked and speakers plugged in.

Watching the behind the scenes right before her very eyes made every single movie about a concert's backstage story look like absolute crap. Seeing it for herself was more intoxicating and enticing than being in the audience and simply watching the band play. With the magic and power of the tech crew and roadies made it all worth while.

The next thing she knew, Oaken was approaching her with Dry Ice trailing behind him, sodas in their grips.

"Sorry about us losing you, kid," Elsa said, not looking apologetic at all.

"Yeah, whatever," Anna grunted, taking the ID from Oaken. "Thanks…" She gave him the guitar and he strode over to set it up.

"We got you a Pepsi," Elsa said, shoving a styrofoam cup with a plastic lid into Anna's hands. "Dunno if you like the stuff but we figured you'd be thirsty. Did you come straight here after we lost you?"

"Ah, no, I walked around for a bit…" Anna said, toying with her straw. "Thanks for the drink."

Elsa sent her a soft smirk. "No prob. Now you get to watch us practice."

"Lemme do a few things. I'll listen in," Anna said, heading off towards the snack table. The bottles of water were, thankfully, Arrowhead. She called forth a caterer and asked for some peanut M&Ms and Seven Up sodas, showing her ID and telling him she was with the band. He nodded in understanding and went off to fulfill the needs of the members.

She made a few rounds about the stage, getting a feel for what her job for the summer was going to be like. Oaken ended up calling for her help and she assisted him in moving around some equipment on stage. Dry Ice was practicing their sets, Elsa singing into the mic and making the experience a lot more bearable with some entertainment.

Anna paused for a moment while assisting a techie with bolting in gigantic wooden snowflakes on the sides of the stage to watch Elsa as she maneuvered her way around the stage as if a sea of fans were out in the audience already. Her hips were swaying in the hypnotic way again, her boots stomping and echoing on the stage. Olaf's mastery at the guitar was incredible, his fingers flying over the strings and his goofy face contorted into deep concentration. Sitron would bounce his head to the beat, occasionally sharing a grin with Olaf from across the stage. Marshmallow hit the drums hard and would slam his eyes shut, feeling the music instead of simply playing along and keeping the pace.

"Yo, I asked for another nail!" snapped the techie. "Get your head out of the clouds, kid!"

That nickname didn't sound as appealing when it was yelled at her by a stranger and she found herself preferring Elsa's purring voice calling her "kid."

"S-sorry," Anna mumbled, tearing her eyes away from a sashaying Elsa and handed him his requested nail.

* * *

During a break, Anna found the band in their dressing room, the four of them playing a game of poker with some chips that were supplied them. Elsa beckoned Anna over and the redhead sat beside her, watching the game progress.

"Since it's a private game, you want in? No buy in since it's for shits and giggles," Elsa said.

"C'mon, ginger ale, play with us," Sitron said, a cigarette between his teeth.

"That's the world's most ridiculous nickname," Anna told him.

"Deal with it," Sitron said, taking a long drag before tapping off some ash. "Alright, Olaf, I'll call your bluff." He tossed a couple of chips in, the plastic making a cheerful clacking noise as they bounced on the wooden table. "Elsa, your go."

"Mm…" The punk looked over the community cards, rubbing her lower lip between her top and bottom teeth. "I think I'll fold." She slid her two cards into the discard pile. "I don't want to lose to either of you."

Marshmallow, who had already folded, chuckled. Anna watched as Olaf dealt the final card into the community line-up. Neither he nor Sitron showed any signs of emotion as they contemplated their next move.

"Call," Olaf said, pushing out two chips.

"Raise," Sitron declared.

"You're so damn impulsive," Elsa said.

"Go big or go home," Sitron said.

Olaf rolled his eyes and called his raise. They turned over their cards to reveal that Olaf hadn't been bluffing in the slightest. Sitron swore and threw his cards across the table, scowling. Elsa, Marshmallow, and Anna laughed as Olaf smugly collected his winnings.

"So, Anna, are you in or out?" Olaf asked, his face brightening as he looked at her.

"Uh… sure," Anna shrugged. "Why not."

As it turned out, Anna was actually not very able to be discreet with her private cards. Her poker face was the worst thing in the world, giving everyone present a hint on whether or not she had a good hand. Elsa would keep beating her, snorting into her gloved fist when Anna would pout.

Surprisingly enough to almost everyone present, Anna was not the ultimate loser. Sitron and his impulse lead him to going all-in against Elsa, the poor idiot bluffing as hard as he could. When Elsa upturned two aces with a straight face, the bassist kicked over the chair he had been sitting on and stormed out of the room.

With the door open, the remaining four heard the rumble and hum of fans entering the theatre. Elsa sucked in a breath and her icy eyes fell to the floor.

"God… it sounds like a huge crowd tonight," she whimpered.

Anna turned to her, bewildered to actually hear the sound of fear from the rockstar. Marshmallow rose to his feet and slammed the door, muffling the sounds of the awaiting people in the seats.

_Wait, isn't this part of my job?_ Anna reminded herself.

As Olaf sat at the vanity to touch up his hair gel and Marshmallow adjusted his gloves, Anna reached over and rested a tender hand on Elsa's knee, grabbing the blonde's attention.

"Hey, look," Anna said calmly, "everyone out there is ready to see the world's most famous rockstar right now. But it's perfectly normal to get… cold feet." She tried for a pun and successfully elicited a laugh from Olaf. Fighting a smile, Anna continued. "But I saw you on stage during rehearsal today and you _own_ the ground you walk on. Now, I may not worship it but I can respect it… for now, at least."

The corners of Elsa's mouth twitched and spread into a grin. "You're right. Ha, thanks, Anna." She slugged Anna in the arm playfully. "See? You're better at this than you made yourself believe." She jumped to her feet as Sitron ran inside, shutting the door behind him anxiously.

"Holy balls in hell that's a lot of fucking people," he gasped. "I think this is the biggest crowd we've played for ever!"

"Sitron, you moron!" Anna whined as Elsa's eyes widened. "She was just fine until you had to be a… be a…"

"An asshole?" Olaf supplied.

"Yeah, that!" Anna said ("Do you not swear out loud?" Sitron asked but was ignored by all). "Elsa, it'll be fine! Those people are your subjects and you're their queen. Make 'em bow down!" Anna thrust an enthusiastic fist in the air. "Your smirk has been rumored to destroy the world, didja know that? Make it happen!"

"We still have the opening band's slot," Marshmallow pointed out. "Elsa can't exactly do that until—"

"You're _not_ helping," Anna snapped.

"No, no, I'll be fine," Elsa promised. "I'll keep that in mind, kiddo. Thanks."

* * *

The show went off without a problem, Elsa dominating the stage with her powerhouse voice and scrumptious hips, the crowd eating up every lyric and chanting her name. The after party was to be held in the Mirage Hotel in some deluxe suite supplied to them by the owners of the theatre.

A party in which Anna was forced to attend.

When the show had ended, the band refreshed themselves in their dressing room just as they had back in Arendelle until Anna had come to collect them. She had made a comment about heading to the bus in order to study and then hit the hay but Elsa would hear none of it. She grabbed Anna by the hand and literally dragged her to the hotel, the boys hooting and hollering with excitement.

"Don't worry, kid, I managed to get you your own private room, just as you requested," Elsa said in her ear as they headed into the lobby. "But you have to stay at the party for at least two hours and have three drinks for me to give you the key."

"You're the worst," Anna grumbled.

"Baby, just roll with it!" Elsa said.

"But I don't have any of my things," Anna complained.

"It's not like we're staying here for three nights or whatever," Olaf added, the five of them piling into the elevator. "Just overnight. You can shower off the sins in the morning and change into clean clothes when we get back on the bus!"

"You guys are trying to kill me or something," Anna said.

"Not today," Marshmallow joked.

"Spectacular," Anna sighed.

They reached the top floor where a bunch of groupies and fans were already waiting. Everyone cheered when Elsa stepped over the threshold of the elevator and right into the room. The band was engulfed by the crowd, Anna tagging along for Elsa's gloved hand was still gripped around her wrist.

By midnight, Anna was reaching her first hour and a half, nursing her second drink. It was some weird concoction that Sitron pushed into her hand and Anna's tongue was tracing the top of the straw as she stuck it inside her mouth. There was a slight hazy buzz hanging over her head as she people-watched.

It wasn't the first time Anna had alcohol or similar substances underage. She had been to plenty of Rapunzel's sorority mixers and Hans was always there to share a beer with her every now and then when they had dated. But she was refraining from drinking herself silly so she could be refreshed by the time they hit the road to Tucson the following morning.

Over the night, she had found the band members scattered with different groups of people. Olaf was usually found with a few fans, talking them up and making them laugh. And it wasn't the I'm-a-fan-so-I'll-laugh-for-you kind of laughs. It was pure, genuine laughter. Anna could tell the difference. Fake laughter was sometimes overdramatic if done by an amateur but if done by a professional, it wouldn't be as rich as a true laugh. A real laugh was when someone's face lit up like New York City at night, their smiles would grow wide, and the laughter was always uplifting to everyone around them. And Olaf was some kind of laugh master.

Marshmallow was a wallflower, like Anna, but people actually came up to talk to him. Occasionally he would wander around and talk with Olaf's group or go and flirt with some of his female fans, a goofy grin on his face. It was as if he wanted the attention and wasn't afraid to earn it. Anna was usually a social butterfly but this wasn't exactly her crowd. She had tried to chat up a few people but eventually found herself leaning against the wall with half of that bitter drink Sitron had given her.

Speaking of Sitron, he was the loudmouth. He would stand up on the bar, do something stupid, and get laughs that way. He was drunk already, begging people to dare him to do some odd task that he ended up doing anyway, attempting the claim the title of "dare king" by the end of the evening.

Elsa was a different story. As popular as she was, she only stuck to one specific group. Some of her worshipers— mostly girls— who would giggle and flirt with her all night. She was buzzed, no doubt about that, and had that look in her icy eyes that told Anna lust was winning over everything else in her body. She wondered if Elsa was the kind of rockstar that slept around, taking advantage of her inebriated fans and insist they should call themselves lucky.

When Anna had torn her eyes from Elsa to watch Sitron bolt to the restroom to most likely vomit the ten pounds of finger foods he had shoved into his mouth, she couldn't help but groan. This was the kind of thing she was afraid of: wasting her time at parties where the only people she knew were off and doing their own thing. She gazed hopelessly down at her drink, pondering on whether or not the drunk Elsa could be convinced that Anna had drunk more than she had and stayed longer.

Deciding that she wanted to get to bed and sleep this night off, she gave her drink to some random party-goer— who downed it in half a second— and started pushing her way through the crowd to the huddle of couches where Elsa was sitting. When she shouldered around a taller girl, she found Elsa making out with some groupie— or fan, Anna couldn't tell— beer cans and bottles littered along the floor.

Not caring she was interrupting this session, Anna tapped Elsa on the shoulder, causing the punk to pull away from her potential one night stand.

"What?" Elsa slurred.

"My time and drink limit is up," Anna told her, raising her voice so she could be heard over the music. "Give me my card."

"Fine," Elsa grunted, shoving a hand in her pocket and handing Anna the key card. "Floor right below us. 407, I think." She gave Anna a sloppy smirk as the girl started kissing Elsa's neck. "You sure you wanna leave, kiddo? You're gonna miss out."

"I'll live, thanks," Anna said. "Do I need to get you some sort of protection?"

"First of all, I'm unable to get any of these gals pregnant 'cause it's anatomically impossible. Second, _Mom_, I'm clean," Elsa gargled before shoving her lips onto the girl's once again.

Anna rolled her eyes and began to dive her way back into the crowd and towards the elevator. Sitron spied her and asked where she was going but before she could answer, he was whisked away by a few fans. Olaf and Marshmallow didn't see her leave so Anna was in the clear, jabbing the down button and stepping into the elevator.

Once the doors slid shut, the music and noise was muffled and Anna could enjoy some peace and quiet for the rest of the night.

* * *

They finally trudged onto the bus around ten in the morning, Anna and Oaken sitting at the booth with McDonald's breakfast spread out in front of them, four individual meals waiting for the hung over Dry Ice on the kitchen counter.

"Have a nice night?" Anna asked slyly, her headache from the small amount of alcohol long gone.

"Fuck off," Elsa moaned, grabbing one of the bags and forcing Anna to scoot aside for her to sit.

The three boys gathered their breakfasts as well and went to different points in the bus to munch on a well deserved meal.

"How'd that girl do you for last night?" Anna said to Elsa.

"What? Oh, that chick I was making out with? That's all we did," Elsa said. "I pick and choose my sex partners, kid."

"Shocking."

"Why? How so? I give myself and the girl dignity?"

"Nothing… never mind." Anna bit into her hash browns, enjoying the unhealthy fried food.

"Oaken," Olaf grunted from the couch. "Is it true that whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?"

"It should be so, yah," Oaken confirmed.

"Great… that's good news," Olaf said weakly, nodding.

"Shall we hit the road to leave the Vegas happenings behind us?" Oaken offered, squeezing out of the booth and walking to the steering wheel.

"Please," everyone but Anna begged.

"To Tucson, then!" Oaken said cheerfully.

The engine roared to life and Oaken maneuvered the bus out of the parking lot and to the open road, chugging down the street and to the highway. Anna glanced out the window beside her to watch the rolling desert, the sound of the hungover grunts of the band fading away.

Although last night wasn't her favorite, it was actually fun. Hanging out backstage with a popular band, watching a concert come to life, listen to music for free, go to a party and try out a few drinks, and flop down into a hotel bed she didn't have to pay for. Sometime that morning, Elsa had slipped her a one hundred dollar bill, saying she'd give Anna more if she could but there were some billing complications that she had to clear up or something. Anna didn't really hear the reason but she was getting paid very well for basically being a motivator.

_Yeah_, she thought smugly, leaning back in the book and taking a sip of her hot chocolate. _I can get used to this_.

* * *

**Next time: some fun with the boys in the band and Anna.**

**Thanks for the reviews and follows and favs, everyone! All this support really means a lot.**

**My tumblr: athpluver (follow if you wish!)**

**Fav/Follow/Review**

**See you next time!**


	4. Celebrity Skin

**I am so pumped for this chapter. This one I planned for the longest time while the story was under development and I wanted it to be early on but far enough in the story where there was still room for development.**

**So yeah I'm excited.**

* * *

Sometime that morning when Elsa was still asleep, Anna woke up to find the bus parked in some rinky-dink town in the middle of the desert. It was about the size of Arendelle from what she saw from the windows and there was a pearly grey haze of clouds hanging over the roofs of houses that the sun would eventually obliterate. It was only she and Elsa on the bus, the four other boys nowhere to be seen.

"Maybe they're getting breakfast," Anna mused, sitting down on the couch she had been leaning on to get a view of their newest stop. She yawned and stretch, sleep still trying to glue itself to her freckled skin.

The bus shuddered with the weight of a foot and voices were heard. Anna lolled her head to the doorway as Olaf, Marshmallow, and Sitron came inside, Oaken's gruff accent coming from outside of the bus.

"Where'd you guys go?" Anna asked, quirking a brow.

"We went to check some stuff out around the town," Marshmallow said, grinning at her.

"And we have a proposition for you," Sitron added.

"Oh?" Anna inquired, sitting up straight.

"Anna, as adorably innocent as you are, you just don't fit the Dry Ice look," Olaf said. "Plaid shirts? Blue jeans? Twin braids— and don't give me that look Elsa keeps it as her signature look but you give off the sex appeal as one of those red pandas at the zoo. And, last but never least, _no gloves._ These things—" He flashed his dark brown gloves that homed his hands. "—are the corner stone of Dry Ice, a fashion statement that has completely gloved this nation. We need to… punk you up."

"You'll be scene at best," Sitron shrugged.

"But if you're gonna be a roadie, you're gonna have to blend in," Olaf supplied, nudging Sitron in the ribs.

"Yeah so you won't be mistaken by a stalker-fan or some shit," Sitron said, nudging Olaf back.

"So… how do you propose on doing that?" Anna said, getting a gut feeling that this plan may very well involve some kind of dragging her to places against her will.

"Get up off your ass, kid, we're taking you shopping," Sitron said, a malicious smile flickering across his face.

"But what about—?" Anna was cut off as Olaf grabbed her hand, pulled her to her feet, and started pulling her outside of the bus, ignoring her consistent pleas and questions.

"Stop fidgeting, Anna," Marshmallow sighed. "Just let it happen because these idiots are very… keen on making you over."

"But I don't need a make over!" Anna whined.

"Yes, you do!" Olaf insisted. "C'mon! You'll have fun! We'll even buy you lunch and you don't have to worry about the cost of the clothes and such. We got that covered!"

Going limp around her arm, she allowed Olaf to take her far from the bus, Sitron and Marshmallow following closely behind. She looked back to the bus, hoping that Elsa wasn't going to get mad at her for being taken to some stores on a shopping spree against her will.

"What's our first stop?" Anna asked finally, wrenching her hand from Olaf's grip.

"Where else to get graphic tees and skinny jeans?" Olaf said.

"Uh… where?" Anna said, cocking her head to one side.

"Hot Topic!" Sitron announced boldly, appearing at her side and pointing towards a mall in the distance. "The loudest store in the mall! And the best."

"And the most expensive," Anna muttered.

Either they didn't hear her or they ignored the comment because they kept trucking on down the sidewalk, by passing mom and pop shops and discount clothing stores and perhaps a high school. It really was a lot like Arendelle but without the lush surroundings and the bearable heat.

They entered the mall via a Macy's to the familiar scent of new shoes and freshly shipped clothes. There was music playing gently over the speakers as the four walked through the main part of the mall, heading towards the Hot Topic that was standing proudly on the second floor, waiting for new and constant costumers alike.

There were two employees there when they walked through the open entrance. One tatted boy by the cash register, ringing up a purchase for a plump teenage girl who had big glasses and a shirt that had a Triforce on the front, her friend waiting with her in line, chatting to her about something Anna couldn't hear. The other employee was a girl with gauges in her ears and several piercings on her face, checking a price tag of some of the bracelets. She had short, black hair and fair skin, her lips painted a dainty red. The boy was tall with a grey beanie dangling off his black hair, his skin a tan color.

She noticed the gang of young adults walk in and gave them a careless glance.

"Welcome to Hot Topic," she said tiredly, Anna guessing she wasn't too thrilled to be working in the mornings.

_Same,_ Anna sympathized.

"Thank you," Olaf said, walking up to her. "D'you mind if I ask for your personal assistance?"

She looked him up and down and shrugged. "Sure. Whatcha need?"

"We're looking to punk up our friend Anna, here," Olaf said, gripping Anna's shoulders and bringing her forward.

The girl looked her up and down before humming.

"What exactly are you going for?" she said, turning back to Olaf.

"Dry Ice Chic," Sitron imputed, earning a snort from Marshmallow.

"Dry Ice, huh?" the girl said. She looked from Olaf to Sitron to Marshmallow and back again, dawning comprehension falling over her face. "Oh! Oh, oh, oh! Aladdin!" The boy at the cash register looked up, the two girls heading out of the store with their shopping bags. "Dry Ice is in our store!"

"What?" he gaped, his eyes snapping onto the three band members. "Oh my god!"

"I'm so sorry for not realizing it before," the girl said shyly. "My name is Snow. Of course I can help you, uh, Dry Ice her up." She sent Anna a smile. "What's your size, honey?"

"Uhm… well, usually a small in woman's but Hot Topic size, a medium in woman's and a small in men's," Anna said with a sheepish grin.

Snow giggled. "Yeah, our sizes can get ridiculous. Alright! I think first thing's first is a good old collection of graphic tees."

"Exactly what we're going for!" Olaf approved. "Get her some band tees, skinny jeans, the works. Any wristbands you got, we'll take. White, black, and blue are our usual colors but don't be afraid to toss in others as well."

"Right! Of course," Snow said, heading over to a shelf of Dry Ice related shirts. "C'mere, honey, let's pick out what works best for you."

The boys watched as Anna and Snow made several rounds about the store, Aladdin soon following close behind, carrying T-shirts, jeans, and other items Anna had picked out. She and Rapunzel would go into Hot Topic occasionally but Anna hardly ever had enough money to buy anything unless it was their buy two get one half off deal. Even then she usually threw a couple of buttons from their container in there to break even. Now she had the freedom to spend, spend, spend on clothes that she only dreamed of wearing.

Olaf allowed her to buy a few shirts relating to her favorite shows such as Doctor Who and Adventure Time to give her the benefit of the doubt of being forced to wear clothes that weren't exactly her style. But Anna seemed to be enjoying herself finally, the two employees gushing over the choices she made.

She gathered a shirt, jeans, a belt, and a few bracelets to try on in the dressing room and came out, looking very much like part of the band. She was wearing a graphic tee with "Dry Ice" all in bold, white lettering on a black background, dark blue skinny jeans, a nerdy belt with the TARDIS all over the outside, and bracelets with different shows or phrases around the rubber exterior. She extended her arms out at her sides, raising her brows at those watching and gave them all a goofy grin.

"How do I look now?" she asked.

"Holy fuck," Sitron whispered.

Anna's face fell. "Is it that bad?"

"No!" Olaf assured. "Anna, you look kick ass! I mean, the piercings should be changed up a bit… ah, you guys know where we can get Doc Martens?" He inclined his head to Snow and Aladdin.

"There's an inexpensive shoes store a block from the mall," Snow offered. "Better prices than the chain stores around here. It's called Bolt."

"That's perfect. Okay! Anna, get changed and we'll buy the stuff," Olaf said, rising to his feet from one of the stool supplied him.

"Hey, wait," Marshmallow said. "What about the gloves?"

"Oh, that's right!" Sitron said, nodding. "You two have any fingerless gloves?"

Aladdin furrowed his brows and exchanged a thoughtful look with Snow.

"I think we might have a pair," Snow said slowly. "But they've been in such short supply since you guys became, like, the biggest band ever."

Olaf chuckled jovially. "Gee, thanks. But it would mean so much if you could check for us."

"Of course," Snow said with a helpful nod. "I'll be right back."

Anna slipped back into the changing room and redressed herself in her red and black plaid shirt and faded jeans. She came out and handed the stuff to Aladdin, who put them in the pile of soon-to-be purchases. Snow returned with one woman's pair of black fingerless gloves, looking slightly grim.

"This is all we had back there. Lemme see your hand, honey," she said, curling a finger to indicate she wanted Anna to come closer.

The redhead approached and extended her hand, Snow slipping the glove onto Anna's until the top half of her fingers showed through the spaces and her knuckles where exposed by the square shaped opening that matched the gloves of Dry Ice.

"It feels perfect," Anna breathed.

"It _is_ perfect," Olaf said, clapping his hands once enthusiastically. "Look at that, Anna! You're a regular roadie of Dry Ice. Did you know _Hans_ didn't even have gloves?"

"Well, duh," Sitron said. "He was a big fucking asshole. His sponsor was good but… he refused to wear the things."

"Anna's better than Hans anyway," Marshmallow pointed out.

Anna removed the glove and smiled. "Thanks guys. This is really cool of you."

"No problem-o, kid," Sitron assured, winking at her. "Allllllright! Now we have to get those Docs and… something with your hair."

"We'll figure that out later," Marshmallow said, helping Aladdin out with taking the copious amount of clothes to the register, a few onlookers spotting the three members of Dry Ice. "We've got company."

"Right," Olaf nodded. "Let's pay and get the Docs before we head out to find a salon."

He whipped out a credit card and handed it over to Aladdin, punching in his required information in the machine. Anna felt a little guilty for having them spend this much money on her but Marshmallow assured her they could both afford it and wanted to do this for her.

With everything stuffed into Hot Topic bags, Snow and Aladdin waved goodbye to them, autographs and thank you notes in their grips. Anna was glowing with the pampered treatment she was receiving, no strings attached.

They ducked into a local shoe store together where they were helped by a bubbly girl named Penny who helped run the store with her mom. A white dog was sleeping by the entrance and a black cat was prowling around the rows of shoes. Anna was fitted into three pairs of Docs. One navy, one black, and one forest green. With those in boxes, they headed to a hair salon.

Anna soon found herself in a chair, being examined by a Peruvian boy about a year older than she was who went by the name of Kuzco. He paced in a circle around her, pressing his hand to his chin, deep in thought. The three others were watching intently, every now and then exchanging incredulous looks.

"So?" Anna managed to pipe up, her teal eyes following Kuzco as he came to a stop in front of her.

"What exactly are we going for here?" he said, his lidded eyes examining her ginger hair.

"Uh… well… ask them," she said, jerking her head to the band listening in.

Kuzco raised his eyes to the boys. Olaf cleared his throat and stood up, followed by Sitron and Marshmallow. They stood beside Kuzco and stared at Anna, making her feel like an exhibit at a museum being observed studiously.

"Well, we all have white something in our hair," Sitron pointed out.

"You mean everyone in the band has really light blonde hair but you have frosted tips," Marshmallow said, glancing at him.

"Hey!" Sitron snapped, folding his arms across his chest. "At least I got with the program."

"Maybe Anna could get white highlights," Olaf suggested.

"No, no," Kuzco said, reaching forward and undoing Anna's braids. "Her hair is far too beautiful to mess around with like that. Perhaps a single, bold, white streak from here—" He pressed his index finger to the right temple of her head just above where her bangs and hair were parted. "—down to here." He trailed said finger down along the undone braid, making it flow through her ginger locks and to the end of her hair. "That way, if she braids it, is can always show. It'll be big enough to be seen but small enough so it won't take away from her pretty face."

Anna flushed. "Sure. I like that idea."

"Excellent," Kuzco approved, shooing the others away. "Give me room! I need to work." He flexed his fingers with a smirk that could match Elsa's, nodding to himself. "Alright, Anna. Let's get started."

The next thing Anna knew, Kuzco was working some kind of magic on her hair, giving it a full treatment of shampooing, conditioning, drying, and dying. His fingers felt incredible as they massaged her scalp. It had been such a long time since she had gone to the salon to take some of that stress off of her head so the pampering he was giving her was absolute heaven on earth.

He worked on the streak away from the mirror, intent on making the reveal a grand finale. The three band members had been told to turn away so they couldn't spoil anything for his client. After a few minutes of making it blend perfectly with her hair, he told everyone to look in the mirror and spun Anna around.

Just as he planned, Anna's hair now had a shock of white running through from the top of her head to the very bottom, standing out beautifully against her brilliant red hair. The boys examined it, too, and all burst into applause, Kuzco bowing smugly to his audience. Other people in the salon craned their necks to find the source of the zealous clapping swamping the room of all other noise.

After Olaf paid forward and gave Kuzco a generous tip, they went to a restaurant for some lunch, Anna toying shyly with her knew streak of white. The four of them were crammed in a booth at some sandwich place, Marshmallow and Olaf splitting a large hoagie, Sitron getting a turkey and swiss on rye, and Anna sticking with a BLT.

"So," Olaf said, mouthful of hoagie, "how d'you like your new look?"

"It's different but…" Anna ran a hand through her hair, the rarity of having it down effecting her more than she thought it would. "I think I'll adapt."

"You don't have to change your personality," Marshmallow told her. "All we're doing is making you look the part."

"Like acting," Sitron proposed.

"Exactly," Marshmallow said. "Putting on a costume and getting paid for it."

Anna giggled. "Thanks, you guys. This has been a great day. Too bad Elsa was asleep."

"Yeah, we wanted this to be a surprise for her," Olaf said. "Before we go, I want you to change into that outfit you tried on in Hot Topic with gloves and hair down and all. Make Elsa see the new you!"

"I can't wait to see her face," Sitron laughed.

"She'll be baffled, no doubt about that," Marshmallow said.

"Why?" Anna wondered.

"'Cause once she sees the innocent little Anna turn all punk right before her eyes, she won't know what to do!" Olaf said gleefully. "I mean, you don't have tats… we could go get you—"

"_No_ thank you," Anna said quickly. "I'm not really ready for one yet. That and cartilage piercings… and eyebrow stuff. Not like you and Elsa, Olaf." She fiddled with her fingers. "Is it painful?"

"Depends. Mine didn't hurt too much," Olaf said, his thumb pointing to the eyebrow piercing above his right eye. "Elsa has those cuff things on her left one, y'know, and I'm guessing those hurt like a motherfucker. Cartilage piercings on the other hand…" He openly shuddered. "Those bitches… ugh, I couldn't sleep on my right side for the longest time. Those _hurt_. Elsa handled hers pretty well but she was swearing like a sailor when she got it."

"Tattoos are a different story," Sitron jumped in. "It really depends on where you get them to guess the pain level. I my experience, my tattoo on my back kinda felt like a cat was scratching at a really bad sunburn."

"What do you have a tattoo of?" Anna asked him.

"I have several," he said. "Between my shoulders is a lucky horseshoe. On my left thigh is a quote from that movie _Spirit_… which is actually blanking from my memory so fuck, I can't tell you what it is. And then I have a rearing horse on the back of my right leg."

"You have some weird thing with horses, don't you?" Anna guessed.

"Uh-huh," Sitron said shamelessly, finishing off his sandwich.

As requested, Anna went to the restroom and changed into her new and improved outfit but with Doc Martens on her feet and gloves over her hands. Her hair flowed down across her back as she walked, bouncing lightly on her shoulders. She returned to them and put her old clothes and sneakers in the bag her new clothes were once in and shouldered what she could.

"Shall we?" she said.

"Let's!" Olaf beamed, tossing a fifty on the table.

The four began their walk to the bus, the summer sun beating down on them and the citizens around the town. The sidewalk was sizzling with water that had escaped a pipe, stray dogs lounging in the shade for a relief from the heat. Anna's hands felt like they were being steamed, as if they were a common vegetable. She questioned if that was normal and Olaf responded that she would get used to it.

As they approached the bus, Olaf and Sitron both walked directly in front of Anna, telling her to keep quiet because they wanted to have a little fun with Elsa first. Once they were a few feet from their mobile home, Elsa came bursting out of the vehicle, her braid swooshing behind her at the speed she was walking. She was absolutely livid, her icy eyes bright and angry, trying to turn her band members into frozen statues.

"Where the _fuck_ have you been!?" she demanded, stopping in front of them, her chest heaving. "Oaken said you went out but didn't know where. I'm stuck in there, worrying my fucking ass off, hoping you haven't been murdered by some sun-crazed lunatic!" She searched the group, only finding the three boys who were staring at her with slightly wide eyes. "Where's Anna?" Her voice dropped into panic and concern rather than anger almost at once when the roadie's name rolled off her tongue.

"We—" Olaf was almost hesitant to joke around but Sitron apparently didn't get the message that Elsa was working herself up into a frenzy about Anna.

"We lost her," Sitron said grimly.

"You… you _what_?" Elsa's face contorted into rage once again. "She's just a fucking kid and you _lost_ her!?"

"Yup," Sitron said, nodding. "It's a shame. Sometime during our shopping spree—"

"Stop it," Marshmallow said coolly. "Elsa, we didn't lose her." He reached behind Olaf and Sitron and tugged Anna out by her shirt sleeve. "But it's not really the same Anna you remember."

Elsa froze as the soft punk Anna was revealed to her, waving shyly with her gloved fingers.

"Hiya, Elsa," Anna said. "Sorry I worried you."

The punk stared, blinking stupidly, her mouth parted ever so slightly until the top row of her white teeth were visible.

"How does she look?" Olaf said jovially, a cheeky grin appearing on his face.

The loss for words was weighing on Elsa until she snapped herself out of her stupor. She cleared her throat and averted her gaze, Anna swearing that there was a soft blush tinting Elsa's cheeks, making her ears turn slightly pink in response.

"You look nice," Elsa said quietly, quickly. She glared at the boys. "Can we _go_ now, please? Tucson awaits us."

"Yes, Elsa," the three said as she turned on her heel and marched on.

Olaf started laughing, clapping Anna on the back and leading her to the bus.

"She loves it!" he said.

"She didn't sound like it," Anna said.

"Ah, she just didn't know what to say," Sitron assured, hitching the bags higher on his shoulder.

* * *

The booth was occupied by Anna that evening, her iPod in her ears, studying. She was leaning against the wall with her legs stretched out in front of her so her whole body took up one seat. Olaf, Sitron, and Marshmallow were taking turns playing Assassin's Creed while Elsa looked on, a notebook full of potential song lyrics in her lap. She kept stealing glances at Anna, trying hard to ignore the way her hair swept into her eyes.

_Fuck,_ Elsa growled in her head, forcing herself to stare at the paper or the screen across from her.

Unable to stand it any longer, she decided to strike up a conversation with the kid. After all, it would give her a chance to look her over without seeming like a creep. She closed her notebook and got to her feet, sitting in the booth across from Anna. She reached over to tap her arm to gain her attention but Anna spoke up before she even made contact.

"What did I say about my iPod in my ears?" she said, not taking her eyes off of her book.

"To not bother you," Elsa recited.

"And what are you doing?"

"Bothering you."

"It's not an emergency, Elsa."

"I want to ask you something important."

"Can't it wait?"

"No."

Anna slowly raised her eyes from her book and glanced at the rockstar. With a heavy sigh, she marked her place and removed her earbuds.

"What?" she said. "I'd like to finish this chapter by the end of the night."

"Did they force you to dress like this?" Elsa asked, lowering her voice so the boys wouldn't hear.

It was kind of against her will to ask that question. It just sort of tumbled out but now she couldn't take it back. But it did give her the opportunity to check Anna out in the most subtle way possible, hiding her leer with concern for Anna's well being.

She _did_ mean what she said that morning. Anna looked very nice, attractive even, in the new clothes. The way Elsa's usual type of girl dressed but Anna brought a homey charm to it, making it all the more adorable and it was simply _unfair_ because Elsa didn't want to think like that about Anna.

"At first but I really got into it," Anna answered pleasantly. "It was fun and I agree: I should look like I'm actually a part of the band."

"Anna, I never asked you to change," Elsa told her.

"I didn't personally change," Anna said. "I just… look the part, as Marshmallow put it."

"It's only your first week on this tour and you're convinced you have to look the part?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "No, not like that! I mean, who's gonna listen to some mountain town kid with plaid shirts backstage of the most popular band in current news? I'd look ridiculous. This way I can actually appear to know what I'm doing."

"I feel guilty…"

"_You_ feel guilty? I never thought I'd live to see the day," Anna giggled.

"Shut up," Elsa growled.

"Elsa, you don't have to worry about them influencing me," Anna said, giving her a smile. "Frankly I'm flattered and thankful they were generous enough to take me out shopping just so I can fit in with you guys. I've been feeling self conscious about not having gloves so this was actually a great day." She dropped her eyes back to her book. "Besides, aren't you the one who insisted on sleazing me up?"

"Whoa, don't get ahead of yourself, kiddo," Elsa said, her smirk crawling across her lips. "You're soft punk at best but _not_ sleazy in the slightest." She shook her head, scooting out of the booth. "Don't let this new outfit control you. You have no idea what being a roadie or a punk is all about just yet." She winked at Anna. "Control yourself, stupid."

Anna stuck her tongue out at Elsa. "Whatever, punk."

* * *

Sometime at another pitstop, Oaken had made Anna's official Dry Ice ID. She had a picture of herself in the corner with her full name beside it and the words "Dry Ice Crew Member" in bold below. She felt so… a _part_ of something for the first time in a very long time. It came with its own lanyard, courtesy of the band itself, with "Dry Ice" stitched in icy lettering against a black background.

The bus' next stop was Tucson, Arizona, arriving late in the night before the concert. Anna had been up, unable to sleep, by the time it made its way into the city. She had a window that was in line with the shelves but above her the side of her bed. It was high enough that she could press her body against white walls instead of plexiglass that was smoked— or _frosted _as Elsa preferred to call them— from the outside.

So when they got off the highway, she pulled down the pair of headphones she brought along with her to watch the rolling desert pass them the closer they got to town.

There was something about traveling that really made her feel cozy and homely, being in one secure place as the world rushed by. She gathered her knees up to her chest and turned out the light to view the landscape in its natural beauty. Stars were scattered in the sky and she could have sworn she saw a couple of coyote picking their way along the open road.

Her toes wriggled in her socks, her shirt hung loose around her figure, hair down and dangling, and her reflection was faintly seen in the window. She wondered if the rest of the band was seeing this spectacular view…

Then again, she didn't deem them as the type to stop and gawk at nature. They were too focused on their careers and practicing their let's-annoy-the-new-kid tactics.

She had drifted off with her back against the wall, her head just barely scraping the bottom of the first shelf, snoozing with her iPod still blaring some song that she had on loop, the bus crawling towards an outdoor theatre similar to the one Dry Ice performed in when they visited Arendelle.

So it was no surprise to her then when she woke up the next morning with her neck stiff and her back killing her.

All she knew was that she wanted coffee.

And she wanted it _now_.

She wasn't a morning person like she so often claimed. She would wake up with bed-hair, morning breath, and glued eyelids. The full, beautiful package of unsophisticated grace. Elsa attempted to tease her about it but Anna sent her a glare that surprised everyone in the bus. It was so unpleasant and bitter, they found themselves doubting that was the same Anna that was usually cheerful and peppy.

Once the door locked behind her, Dry Ice exchanged looks of shock, unable to find any jokes to explain Anna's disgruntlement or ease the mood. However, when she came back out refreshed and more awake, she sent them an apologetic, sheepish grin before creeping back to her room to put away her pajamas.

When she returned the front, everyone present was cracking up. Olaf was giggling, supporting himself against the bunks. Marshmallow was guffawing as he sat on the couch, shaking his big, heavy head. Sitron was snorting like a horse, leaning on the doorway near the wheel. Elsa was laughing into her gloved fist, still in the kitchen where Anna had left her.

"I don't understand why that's so funny," Anna told them, pouting and tugging on her leather gloves.

"You were like the devil's wife right then," Elsa managed through laughs. "Trying to melt the world with your glare."

"Pardon me for hating the morning," Anna said lowly. "Can we please get some coffee? I'm gonna be a zombie until I have caffeine in my system. Caffeine and a doughnut."

"Well… _you_ can get some coffee," Elsa said, reaching into her pocket and producing thirty dollars from her wallet. "We have to get to practicing until lunch. You can keep the change this time and hopefully this can cover it."

"Right. I'm the errand girl," Anna sighed, taking the money from Elsa. "What do you all want?" She got her phone out of her pocket and pulled out her notes, ready to take their orders and feeling like a damn waitress.

"I'm content with a hot chocolate. That's all," Elsa said, tucking her wallet back in her pocket.

"I'll have a latté with more cream and sugar than coffee," Olaf chirped. "And carrot cake if they have it."

"Black," Sitron said.

"Racist," Elsa teased.

"You're a fucking asshole," Sitron spat at her.

Anna rolled her eyes at the childish banter as Marshmallow spoke up.

"A vanilla smoothie for me. I don't do coffee much," he told her kindly.

"Great. Awesome," Anna said, tacking the last of the orders into her phone. "I'll go on a wild goose chase for some Starbucks… or something. I'll see you guys back here soon."

She left the bus only to be greeted by the heat of the early morning. It was unlike that other desert town that had a grey overcast that would be melted away by the sun. Instead, the sun was full blast and trying to melt _Anna_.

She instantly regretted wearing black that morning.

_It's too damn hot this early_, Anna grouched to herself.

Some godlike entity led her to a Starbucks and she almost fell to her knees in prayer. Her gloved hands were slicked with sweat on the inside and she swore she saw some of it trickling out of the little space in her thumb's hole that appeared when she flexed and spread her fingers. But her stubbornness to commit to the band won over her need to pull them off.

So she grabbed the door handle, allowed a couple to pass through first, and entered, thanking the inventor of air conditioning for being born and thanking their parents for doing the do and the generations before to make that even possible. She approached the counter meekly and placed the orders, handing over the thirty dollars as payment.

After she got her change and got the drinks, she rushed her way back to the bus. Now that she knew the way, she could get there easier and duck underneath the shade that awnings provided.

She felt guilty, however, when she approached the bus. She didn't even ask what Oaken wanted to drink. He had slipped her mind because he wasn't in the room with the rest of the band. And he had been so nice to her throughout the trip so far so her guilt only multiplied. When she delivered the drinks to the thirsty band, she tried to offer Oaken her own coffee as a form of apology.

He rejected it kindly, telling her he wasn't a big coffee drinker anyway. He thanked her for considering him and told her she could make up for it by helping him out in moving a few sets around after she finished her breakfast.

And Anna did just that.

Over a break, Olaf and Anna went out to get lunch just the two of them. Anna wanted to get to know him since he was the most bubbly of the group and the one she felt she could warm up to the easiest. Not that the others didn't give her a desire to get to know them but Olaf was just so fun to talk to.

They spent over an hour in a little diner, snorting into their milkshakes and talking about the stupidest things. Eventually, she brought up the matter of his tattoos.

"So… you have how many tattoos?" she asked him, quirking a ginger brow.

"I have two," he said, his finger tapping against his plate. "One of them is here." He pointed to the "I like warm hugs" wrapped around his bicep. "And the other one is on my lower back. It's a melting snowman with 'I love summer' beneath it in hella creepy writing."

"Ooh, really?" Anna said, grinning. "The hugs thing… you seem to have a thing for them. You got the tattoo and the shirts and stuff. What's up with that?"

"I just love giving hugs!" he said cheekily, flashing a goofy smile at her, Anna noticing that his two top front teeth were slightly bucked. It gave him more of a childish appearance, a cartoonish appearance. It put her at ease for some reason. "Giving and receiving. The best medicine for sad friends, a good congratulations, and the thing you do when you greet someone you haven't seen in forever."

"You're really something special, aren't you?" she mused, cocking her head to one side.

He colored and giggled. "Awh, Anna, you're a sweetie."

"And you're nicer than you usually let on," she winked as she reached for her soda.

"We all have our soft underbellies," Olaf pointed out. "It just takes time to discover them. I mean, Marshmallow and I are easier to understand than Sitron and Elsa. Sitron can just be an asshole, though. Elsa still remains a mystery to me some days. She gets harder and harder to read."

"Interesting," Anna hummed.

"But I know she's grateful to have you around," he told her. "She may not show it as often as you'd like her to but she is. Too big of a head to admit that she wants more help from people like you."

She flushed. "I dunno about that."

"Plus, I have a gut feeling you're gonna get along with us just fine," he assured.

"Thanks, Olaf. I'm glad I have a new friend."

"Don't mention it, and me too! I love new friends!" He jumped to his feet. "Now who wants a hug?"

Anna giggled and got out of her chair, allowing the guitarist to embrace her. In an instant, she wrapped her arms around his waist, his around her shoulders, and she felt that this was the warmest hug she had ever received.

Hands down, Olaf gave the best hugs in the history of mankind.

* * *

**Ye.**

**Fav/Follow/Review**

**See you next time!**


	5. We Are the Champions

**Here we go!**

* * *

The concert, like so many others before them, was a great success. Anna spent most of her time in the dressing room helping get the band ready and motivating Elsa to get out on stage. The blonde seemed more at ease when Anna kept telling her she was perfect— although there was a dumb smile on Anna's face that told everyone she was having a hard time not giggling because she knew very well she was only beefing up Elsa's already inflated ego. During the concert, Anna was side stage, watching them preform.

As obnoxious as some of them were, Anna was coming to appreciate their music and how passionate they were about their talent. The way they all collaborated flawlessly on stage, Olaf and Sitron teasingly mimicking Elsa's hip movements, making her giggle in the middle of a song, only to further please the audience, loving how carefree the lead singer was. Sometimes the three of them would stand in a line center stage during an instrumental break and do some goofy synchronized jump, moving left and right with their feet. It was a silly move but the crowd seemed to like it, cheering them on. It made the punks look fun and relatable.

Once more, Anna was dragged to the after party. However she was pleased to see the party wasn't as insane as the one back in Vegas. It was in some club in an upstairs room where there was a dance floor and full bar. The music was pounding against the walls and fans were wall to wall.

"So!" Elsa said loudly as they walked over the threshold. "You should go out, have fun, and flirt with a couple of guys to take home with you." Elsa winked down at Anna, smirking suggestively.

"Elsa, I don't date boys anymore," Anna responded, the musicians pushing past them to head into the party to get their night full of fun started.

"Really?" Elsa said, her eyebrows shooting upwards. "I just assumed."

"Boys have been bad luck lately," Anna admitted.

Elsa started laughing. "Well, then. Find some cute girls!" She pat Anna on the shoulder supportingly and headed off after her band mates.

With her new outfit, Anna was able to chat with a few people, downing a few non-alcoholic drinks. She even danced with a couple of girls. She didn't have any intention on taking anyone back to the hotel room. That wasn't how she rolled.

But it was nice to not be a wallflower for once.

At one point, Sitron told her to loosen up and just have one drink before the party was over. Deciding to go with the flow, Anna went up to the bar and flashed her crew member ID, wondering if that would get her a drink without an actual ID.

And it did.

_Perks, I suppose_, she thought pleasantly, a beer being slid down the bar and into her grip.

She took a swig, her cheeks being warmed by the delicious brew. She peered out into the crowd, trying to spot the members of the band. Sitron had found a rather drunk fan and he himself was hammered, kissing her messily against the wall, causing Anna roll her eyes. Olaf was, as usual, making the group around him laugh until no sound was coming out, tears in their eyes. Marshmallow and a few fans were talking a few feet away about something that was making the big guy smile.

Elsa was no where to be found, no doubt dancing with some fan in the mess of bodies swarming the dance floor or drinking with a friend or possibly flirting with someone against the wall, making their knees weak with one minuscule sashay of her hips or brush of her lips on their ear as she whispered something into it.

When Anna looked to her left, she found some guy with a skin-tight black shirt, tattoos all over his arms, spiked up brown hair, and jeans that were a little too baggy on him, causing them to slump down until the top of his boxers showed and he was— ugh— sagging. His breath smelled like alcohol and he clearly had one too many, his irises darkening as he continued to leer at her.

_Fuck_, Anna thought.

"Hey," he said, leaning closer.

Anna leaned back, averting her eyes.

"What's your name?" he continued. "Ah, it don't matter. We both know that this'll be just for the night."

"Excuse me, but you're not my type," she told him bluntly. _ And I'm not drunk enough to find you the least bit attractive_.

"Awh, Babe, we can change that," he said, leaning further towards her and pressed his mouth uncomfortably close to her ear.

"I mean that seriously. I'm not into guys," she whimpered.

Her excuses were failing and she knew it. This douche wasn't going to take no for an answer and she was terrified. Nobody was watching her being harassed by a drunk and horny… well… Anna was sure he was some kind of frat boy by the amount of liquor he appeared to consume and the way he dressed like he was a wanna-be rapper.

He gripped her wrists tightly, slopping beer all down her front, her (new) black shirt that had R2D2 with a mohawk on the front becoming soaked. He grinned down at it, giving Anna chills. The leather gloves fell just below her wrists so she couldn't slip out of his grasp as slickly as she would have liked. The material made it much harder, causing a tough friction when she attempted to move, the sticky, sweaty residue from earlier that day keeping her hands in place inside the glove.

"C'mon, let's go back to my place and I'll teach you why guys like me are the shit," he growled.

"I can already tell you're shit, thank you very much," Anna spat at him. She hardly ever swore out loud but this situation called for it. She wasn't going down without a fight at least.

He scowled. "I'm not asking your opinion!"

Meanwhile, Elsa had a fan at her mercy, kissing her temple and lips, causing the girl to squeal in delight. She wasn't too far away to not hear Anna, and paused her kissing fest when the cry of her roadie reached her ears. She whipped her head in the direction of the bar and saw a rather repulsive boy trying to force himself on her. Something snapped in her, a protective instinct kicking in like a ranging snow storm. Anna was clearly not interested and was appearing desperate, trying to get away from him.

"I'm sorry," Elsa breathed into her fan's ear. "I need to handle something."

Before she could respond, Elsa had vanished, her combat boots leading her to a scared Anna and a drunk offender. When she reached them, everything after that was the most swift and most fluid movement Anna had ever seen. Her shoulder was grabbed by a gloved hand, she was pulled back and the man's hold on her wrist slackened, she was suddenly standing behind Elsa, witnessing her sink her other fist into the man's stomach. All of that happened in such a blur, the only thing she registered fully was Elsa punching the guy. He doubled over, trying to keep his insides from coming up his throat, clutching his abdomen in excruciating pain.

He let out a mangled cry and people around them started to back off, Elsa letting go of Anna's shoulder so she could continue berating this asshole. She shoved the heel of her hand into his shoulder and forced him to stand up straighter so she could look him in his pathetic eyes.

"Did she fucking say yes to you, pig?" Elsa snarled into his face.

The club went silent, everyone watching the lead singer scowl into this stunned man's astonished expression.

"Did she consent to you?" she continued, digging her fingers into his skin, the thin shirt not doing much to protect him.

"Ah! N-no!" he spluttered.

"Oh, so you _do_ know that word," Elsa growled snidely. "Next time a girl says it, how about you fucking _back off_." She kneed him between the legs and he sank to the floor, groaning and holding his wounded pride.

Elsa stood back, cracking her knuckles. That's when she realized all eyes were on her. She rolled her icy orbs and spread her arms.

"What are you staring at?" she demanded. "Get back to partying and ignore this fuckface."

The music started up again and everyone returned to the party around them. Elsa turned on her heel and grabbed Anna's hand, but not unkindly like he had.

"C'mon, kid, let's get out of here," Elsa said. "I feel like eating Mexican food. I'm buying."

Without any words to say, Anna allowed Elsa to take her out of the club, down the stairs, and into the warm summer night. She simply watched her savior of the evening as she led them around the town, looking for a Mexican restaurant that was open this late.

But the only thing that was available was a Taco Bell.

Elsa didn't care. She took it anyway.

They entered the fast food joint that was full of drunk college kids and stoners, all of them loudly talking about what they wanted to their friends. Elsa managed to fight her way to the front and ordered a bunch of things Anna didn't hear. She was still in shock over how easily Elsa took down that guy. That powerful punch in the gut must've hurt looking at how fast he went down.

When they got their orders in plastic bags, Elsa took Anna outside and they sat on the curb in the dead night, feasting on their late dinner.

"Thank you," Anna finally choked out. "You didn't… I could have—"

"Yes, I did and no, you couldn't have," Elsa responded, biting into a taco, her face still set in a furious glare. "He was a disgusting pervert and deserved that punch. Although, he didn't deserve me touching him." She glanced at Anna, her gaze softening. "You okay, kiddo?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay," Anna confirmed, biting meekly into her meal.

"My social faux pas better not show up in the papers," the punk muttered.

Anna choked on her quesadilla. "That's a big term for you, Elsa. Faux pas! Wow."

Elsa punched her in the shoulder. "I know my vocabulary, teach, you don't have to act surprised I aced the test of fucking life."

"You're impossible."

They sat in silence for a while, Elsa's icy eyes upturned to the heavens, taking in the sight of the stars dancing across the sky. Anna imagined Elsa lazily sticking a cigarette between her pale lips and taking a long drag, blowing out the smoke gently into the air but reminded herself that Elsa didn't smoke. The image was entertaining to say the least.

Sitting on a curb in the black night was comforting. It was just the two of them, the occasional passing car, crickets, and the lone howl of a coyote in the distance. It wasn't cold enough for their breath to smoke out or warm enough to be fanning their faces, it was the perfect kind of temperature. Like a fresh spring afternoon after a rainfall. And Anna was oddly content eating junk food with a rock sensation on the side of the road, watching the city of Tucson fall asleep.

"So… this may seem like a stupid and personal question," Elsa said, breaking the silence, "but I really want to know. Who was your first time?"

She didn't need to look at Anna to see the blush that fanned across her freckled cheeks. Anna fidgeted and tangled her fingers together, trying to keep calm.

"It was…" She cleared her throat. "It was Hans."

"That's unfortunate," Elsa said sympathetically.

Anna giggled. "Yeah, you could say that. But he made me unafraid of… y'know, getting a little naughty." Elsa snorted into her fist and Anna pressed on, smiling. "Which was good news for my next serious relationship, which was my first girlfriend."

"Oh yeah? What was she like?"

"Awesome. I mean, we were really great friends beforehand. Her name was Merida and we were the feistiest couple on campus." Anna smiled wider, becoming lost in fond memories. "We dated for half a year and we just couldn't get enough of each other. We'd go see our college football games, snuggle underneath this blanket her mom made for her in the winter, her parents and my parents got along, and both of our families really just adored the hell out of our relationship…" Her smile faded. "But then she had to move back to Scotland with her family for her father's business. We broke it off but still talk on Facebook and stuff. We're friends." She leaned forward and got a taco out of the bag, unwrapping it and munching on the hard shell. "Sucks 'cause I thought we'd go the distance. I had a few hook ups with boys before her but I could never get past making out. I was too hurt by Hans. So I dated girls and… well… they were so much better. I was still hesitant to, you know, go there. But then Merida came along." It was then she realized her mouth was running without an off button. Was Elsa even interested in her rambling? "Sorry, Elsa, I didn't mean to tell you my love life's story."

The punk laughed, licking the grease off her exposed fingers. "It's okay. I like hearing you talk. You're very… animated. In a good way, I assure you." She sent Anna a smirk. "You've got quite the track record for being only nineteen."

"Well, I started dating Hans when I had just turned eighteen and lost my v-card about two months later," Anna admitted. "So it's not really news."

"Ah, I see," Elsa said, nodding.

"How about you? I spilled, now it's your turn," Anna said, grinning.

"There's actually not much to tell."

Anna gasped dramatically, clutching her heart. "Is this _true_!?"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "I told you, I pick and choose my lovers." She took a sip of her Pepsi. "At first, I dated around to get a feel of my sexuality. I didn't get too big of a chance in high school because of… reasons." She shifted in her seat nervously. "It was when I was eighteen when I started _really _trying to figure it out. I hooked up with more girls than boys, though. Last year or so I dated this guy for a few months because I thought, hey why not give guys a try and see where it takes me… it didn't really work out. So I stepped back and analyzed the relationships before him. And every single one that turned out to be a success— up until the break ups and whatever— were with girls. It was then I realized that, shit, I really, really liked girls." She put down her drink and pulled her knees up to her chest. "But I still picked and chose the girls in the end. I was focusing too much on my career to get into anything too serious. My first time sexually was with a girl, actually, when I was seventeen. One night stand. Then after this big life changing thing, I decided that I had to really trust my next one."

"Olaf was right. You _are_ hard to read," Anna teased her.

Elsa cracked a grin. "When you and I are closer friends, I think I can reveal what I want to you. But you'll have to wait. It all depends on circumstance."

"I'm prepared to earn that trust," Anna said stubbornly. "You'll see."

"I can't wait to see you try, kid."

After they finished their bag of Taco Bell, they headed to the bus instead of the hotel. It was a closer walk anyway, Elsa reasoned, and the hotel rooms they rented were shit.

"Olaf has the keys," Elsa had continued. "And I don't think we can pry one off of him easily."

Oaken was in his chair when Elsa knocked on the closed door. He opened it up and let them in jovially before sliding it shut behind them. As they passed through the doorway, Anna leaned towards Elsa to hiss in her ear.

"Where does _he_ sleep?" she asked.

"To be honest, I've never seen him sleep," Elsa responded quietly, taking a hook that was in the doorway and pulled an actual door out, the thing sliding smoothly against the hardwood floor to give them some privacy.

It was like one of those doors in a kitchen that separated it from a dining room. Anna used to play with the one she had at her house when she was little until her mother told her to knock it off. But now it was a decent add-on to the bus, complete with a small lock to hold it in place.

Elsa pointed down at the couch and Anna obeyed, sinking into the plush exterior. Elsa picked up a remote and turned on the television, flipping through the inputs until she landed on the game slot. She tossed Anna a Playstation remote and flopped down beside her with her own and they played a few rounds of a co-op game Anna had never heard of. But it was fun with just the two of them playing in silence, their Taco Bell digesting.

When the game tired, they decided to call it a night, Elsa stumbling into her room and Anna heading into hers. She changed, snuggled into the still crisp sheets, and sighed. It had turned from bad to better really fast and she had Elsa to thank for it.

* * *

The bus hit a hard bump and Anna woke up with a start, bolting upwards, only to bang her head on the shelf.

"Awh, _fuck_!" she groaned, clutching the throbbing bruise.

"Language!" came Sitron's teasing voice from the other room, eliciting a laugh from the others.

Pouting, Anna slumped out of bed as carefully as possible, the turbulence of the bus not doing her clumsiness much justice. She managed to make it to the bathroom without falling or tripping over her own feet. When she finished getting ready for the day and returned her pajamas to her bedroom, she joined Elsa and Olaf in the booth, leaning her arms on the tabletop and smiled sleepily at them.

"G'morning," she yawned.

"Morning," Elsa said. "You're up late."

"What time is it?" Anna mumbled, blinking slowly.

"Almost ten. But we've yet to get breakfast," Olaf said. "Going to a diner in a bit for some good ol' fashion American food."

"Cool. So what's our next stop?" Anna asked.

"We actually have to stop in this town near Santa Fe 'cause our manager got us a little gig for a detour between here and Salt Lake City," Elsa said. "He also wants us to show us our music video for 'Let It Go' because it's finally finished. _Finally_." She rolled her eyes. "Fucking budget with the edit equipment and whatever else. I was so excited when he told us we would release the video a few months ago but then he pulled the fucking plug at the last minute."

"I'm sorry," Anna sympathized. "That's frustrating."

"No kidding," Olaf added. "It's gonna be a super cool video, too. With all these animated snowmen worshiping Elsa, a _huge_ ice chandelier like you see on stage with us a lot, and an ice palace. We wanted our fans to see it since the song was such a big hit. We need a new album soon, though. So our manager probably wants to discuss that."

"Elsa is also the world's biggest procrastinator when it comes to song writing," Sitron spoke up from the couch on the left side. "She claims she has writers block regarding our next album."

"That's why we mostly do covers, save for 'Let It Go,'" Marshmallow finished.

"You guys, I'm stressed out enough," Elsa snapped. "I just… haven't found the right inspiration."

"You'll find it," Anna assured her.

Elsa sighed and ran a gloved hand through her platinum hair, the leather frizzing it up at the end. She had no escape, Anna blocking the exit in the seat she was sitting in so she looked out the window instead, leaning her chin in the palm of her hand, elbows on the table.

"Well, she better find it soon or Kai'll be pissed," Olaf said, stretching.

"Kai?" Anna questioned.

"Our manager," Olaf said. "Or as he _prefers _to be called: our agent. Even though he's not licensed by the state of California or whatever."

"He only likes it 'cause it sounds more official," Sitron cackled.

"He's a nice guy but can be a hardass. Like, how Oaken's a teddy bear but can be the scariest motherfucker on the planet if you piss him off," Olaf explained. "Kai is usually easy going and kind but he wants things done _on time_, no ifs, ands, or buts."

"We're not his easiest clients," Marshmallow admitted.

"But we're his most successful," Elsa reminded them. "And that's what keeps us around."

Anna was lost in the conversation but would nod whenever she deemed appropriate.

The trip to Santa Fe took a few hours but they managed it just fine, stopping only for breakfast. They ate lunch in the bus using some of the food Anna had bought, which was slowly being eaten at a satisfying rate. Meaning Anna wouldn't have to go grocery shopping any time soon.

Before they reached the city, Anna holed herself up in her tiny room to study while Dry Ice gathered around the booth to try to write a few songs and talk about their music video. The air held a mixture of panic and excitement for the four of them. Becoming a hit band in such little time was stressful in spite of the parties and fans and money… life was good, but stressful.

Anna had decided to leave them be for a while so they could think clearly, her headphones on her head and a pencil writing down a few notes from one of her textbooks. Before dinnertime, the bus came to a stop in front of a tall, glass building that looked very important from where Anna was standing when she followed the band off the bus. It was the studio on which they would be finally viewing their video.

Standing by the front doors, waiting for Dry Ice to approach, was whom Anna assumed was Kai. He was a portly man who was taller than Elsa but shorter than Olaf, balding with brown hair on the sides of his temple, sideburns that could never outmatch Hans', and a rather large nose. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, hands folded behind his back, and looking either impatient or enthralled— Anna couldn't tell.

"Kai, old friend!" Elsa greeted, striding up to him.

"Elsa, do you want to explain why I got a call from Westerguard Amps telling me why you fired their youngest son?" Kai said, his face darkening.

Anna slowly inched behind Marshmallow, suddenly feeling very afraid she was going to get fired because she was most likely the reason Elsa had finally rid the band of Hans. The drummer straightened his back, acting as her protector, giving her comfort.

"Ah… well…" Elsa rubbed the back of her neck, looking ver ashamed. "You didn't mention this in our phone calls—"

"_Because_ I wanted to show you how fucking _pissed_ I am," he said.

Nobody in the world seemed to make the Snow Queen fall to her knees to beg for forgiveness before but Kai was coming close to it. Very close. She was averting her gaze and kept shifting from foot to foot.

"Elsa had a perfectly valid reason to fire Hans," Olaf tried. "He was rude, snide, and wouldn't do his job when we asked him. It takes five times to get him to contact the caterers about something small."

"Kai, we got another amp sponsor somewhere in Rapid City," Marshmallow tried to sooth.

"You don't get there until you're two months in," Kai reminded him harshly, the big abominable snowman melting under his gaze. "From here, you travel up to Seattle, back down to San Antonio, a zigzag to North Carolina— Rapid City stop in South Dakota that you _need now_— to Louisville, and then finally to the big enchilada New York where you're concert is going to be recorded for a live album, a DVD, _and_ will be live streaming via tons of website, the biggest being YouTube. And I'm even mentioning the amount of stops in several cities on the way." He whipped out his phone and shook it at them, trying to stress his point. "I planned this entire thing for you and you decide to stick with shit-tastic amps until you reach Rapid City."

"But we don't need Hans anymore anyway," Sitron said meekly. "We have a better roadie. She's already proven herself greatly in the first week and is… she's not a big fan but she's… she's a good roadie, promise."

"Oh?" Kai said, raising a thick brow.

Elsa turned, desperate for some help, eyes searching for Anna. Marshmallow sent the redhead and apologetic glance over his shoulder and stepped to the side, revealing her to the steaming manager. Elsa tugged Anna forward and smiled at Kai.

"This is Anna… Anna… uh… oh my god." She turned to her. "I don't even know your last name, that's totally my bad!"

"It's cool don't worry about it," Anna assured her, stepping over to Kai. "My name is Anna Christensen. I'm nineteen, a college sophomore turning junior this coming school year, and have spent a week in the care of Dry Ice. I'm an official crew member, help the techies, other roadies, and ensure that everything is in place for their big nights." She extended her gloved hand to him. "It's nice to finally meet you, sir."

Kai looked her up and down before smiling warmly and taking her hand in a firm, business-like grip.

"It's nice to meet you, Anna," he said formally. "I assume Elsa is paying you well?"

"Yessir," Anna nodded, ignoring the offended scoff from the blonde behind her.

"Good… good, I see," he said, placing his hand back behind his back. "I suppose we can wait until you meet up with the sponsor in Rapid City when the time is right. Come along, now."

"What about our gig?" Elsa asked, the six of them heading into the building.

"That begins tomorrow night," he told her. "Santa Fe. Then you'll be off to Salt Lake City.

"And the video?" Sitron pressed.

"The video should be put up on YouTube tonight," Kai said to the band, the elevator shuddering and ascending to the twenty-fifth floor. "Hopefully we'll have more views than that Star Wars kid."

"Uh, Kai, that was in… like… 2007," Olaf said. "Maybe even a little after that."

"I thought that joke was dead now," Anna said quietly but went unheard by all.

"I'm sure we'll get views," Sitron said casually, leaning against the mirrored wall of the elevator. "We're the hottest— oops, sorry— _coolest_ band around right now. Once word gets out that we have a music video for 'Let It Go,' the fans will go nuts."

"Frankly, we shouldn't be concerned," Marshmallow said, the elevator coming to a stop and the doors gliding open.

* * *

The music video for the song was flawless. It was the first time the band made her jaw fall open because of their talent alone. The scene set in the video was on a lone mountain with Elsa traveling up, singing the song. In the stars, the band played their instruments above her and their images would sometimes change to being in the swirling snow. When it go to the chorus, the entire scene changed and she was on an icy stage, snowmen and women in the pit below, cheering the band on.

Eventually, Elsa created a humungous and gorgeous ice palace, the camera cutting to close ups of the boys as they played. Elsa seemed to have mythical powers over snow and was thrusting her fist in the air to make it snow all over the place. Her outfit was similar to the usual thing she wore on stage but it appeared as if it were made out of ice itself, sparkling and shining against the reflections of her palace.

During her belting of "the cold never bothered me anyway," she was on a balcony of her palace, the band all in some sort of ice-looking outfits, the camera panning out to show the true power and size of the fortress that was Elsa's and Elsa's alone.

"Fuck," Elsa whispered once the video ended with links leading to the band's website and Facebook page.

"Awesome," Anna breathed, unheard by everyone but Elsa.

The punk smirked. "Hypocrite."

"You're a bitch," Anna hissed back.

"With pride," Elsa snickered, winking at her.

"So, what do you think?" Kai boomed, snapping the girls out of their quiet exchange.

"It's amazing, Kai," Elsa said. "The chandelier, the palace… your boys worked wonders."

"On YouTube tonight, right?" Olaf said, his eyes widening like a child's on Christmas Day.

"Yes, that's the plan. You can see why it took so long now. Here, let me play this back until—" Kai leaned over the laptop they were gathered around in his vacation office and pulled the video back to the point where Elsa is strutting onto the balcony to her awaiting band. "This part took thirty-six hours to pan. The costume was animated, of course, so add that onto the time slot. This video is very entr'acte and we wanted the final execution to be flawless without any rendering problems."

"I like the switches," Sitron nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Everyone's included."

"But of course," Kai said, smiling warmly. It was a better look on him than the scowl he wore while yelling at Elsa. "We want to make sure the band is a unit."

"I like it," Marshmallow said, as if his opinion would settle the matter entirely. "The ice looks real. It adds on to the meaning of the song."

"Speaking of song meanings," Kai said, inclining his head to Elsa. "Are you going to ever tell me what 'Let It Go' is all about?"

"Kai, that is for the song writer and her bandmates to know only," Elsa told him sternly.

"And speaking of _song writing_." Kai chuckled darkly, landing Elsa right where he wanted her. She groaned, not believing she had fallen into his trap. "I trust the next album is going well?"

"We're… working on it," Elsa said, casting her eyes to stare at the laptop, peering into her own face that was displayed on screen, that seductive smirk on her features as she swaggered onto the balcony.

"I'll just convince myself that you're almost done," Kai said tiredly, standing straight and wiping his brow with a handkerchief. "Anna, you tell me. How'd the music video look to an outsider?"

The nervous expression on Elsa's face vanished and she sent Anna a cheshire cat-like grin. Anna glared at her before addressing Kai.

"It was a good video. I think that every fan will watch it over and over and share it on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook until the internet breaks," Anna said supportingly, refusing to meet Elsa's gaze again. "I know for a fact my cousin'll be obsessing over it for quite some time."

"Excellent! Our first outsider review," Kai said, clapping his hands together and rubbing them, as if he were plotting something devious but his face was bright and sunny. "Glad you have such a loyal fan on your team."

"She's not a fan," Elsa snorted. "She's a cocky little—"

"_I'm_ the cocky one?" Anna interrupted. "Look who's talking."

"Baby, you know you love it," Elsa said, sending Anna one of her most seductive smiles.

Anna swallowed but didn't break their eye contact, determined not to let Elsa get to her.

"I happen to think it's rather off-putting," she said, raising her brows.

"Do you?" Elsa retorted. "Oh, Anna, Anna, Anna." She shook her head almost pityingly. "You still have so much to learn about me."

"_Any_way," Kai cut in, the corners of his mouth twitching. "I want you all to go get something to eat, a goodnight's sleep, and be fresh and ready for your concerts in Santa Fe."

"Wait, what? Plural?" Anna said, her brows furrowing.

"Yes! Starting today, Dry Ice is going to be spending numerous days in every stop," Kai said. "Two the minimum, four the maximum. It brings in more opportunities and it's the norm for bands to have more than one night at a certain place."

"The reason we've been only having one night shows is because of some weird complication that Kai tried to solve," Marshmallow explained. "But he finally managed to get around it in time for Santa Fe's performances."

"Which is why for the rest of the trip, we'll all be busy, busy, busy!" Olaf applauded.

"I mean, fuck, there's a lot to set up for us so it seems kind of stupid to just spend one night at a place, y'know?" Sitron pointed out.

"Oh… right," Anna nodded, fiddling with her hands.

"Let's go back to the bus," Elsa said. "I don't think our hotel is ready yet."

"That'll be tomorrow evening," Kai assured, them sinking into his chair. "I'll be in touch, kids. I will also be returning to California this time next week. Any problems or questions, give me a ring. Oh, Anna—" He handed her a business card from one of his desk drawers. "—that means you, too."

"Right," Anna said, giving him the thumbs up.

* * *

Everyone was gathered around Anna's laptop that night as it rested on the booth, each of them stuffing their faces with greasy pizza, waiting for Kai to text Elsa to announce the release of the video. All but Elsa had removed their gloves so they wouldn't get damaged or smudged. Nobody spoke. No words were needed. All they did was shove the slices of cheesy goodness into their mouths, waiting.

Waiting.

Elsa's phone buzzed and she dropped her dinner on her plate, wiped her slippery gloves on her jeans, and checked her text.

It was out.

Anna leapt into YouTube and they checked the video, watching it in all of its glory on the world famous website. Elsa was, once again, trapped by Anna sitting beside her and wanted to go lock herself in her room to avoid having to see her video fail, if it did at all. She had done that the first time "Let It Go" was released to the general public as a single and she was so incredibly anxious she shut herself in her bedroom and refused to leave until Olaf shoved the ratings (that were, of course, absolutely stupendous) underneath her door.

But that damned redhead wasn't going to budge anytime soon so Elsa had to sit there, glued to her seat, and face the music.

Literally.

Every few minutes, one of them— save for Elsa— would reach over and refresh the page, watching the ratings as they skyrocketed. They were slow ratings at first but they were climbing as the night went on. Marshmallow had checked his phone and saw that their Facebook page and website both had shared the video and the link to it on YouTube. The knowledge that it was out was growing, the five of them wondering if their success was going to be inevitable.

"I can't," Elsa croaked hoarsely. "Anna, please move."

Anna shifted out of her seat and Elsa bolted towards her room, slamming the door and locking it behind her. The redhead sent the others questioning glances but they all shook their heads at her. So she sank back into her seat and they continued their game of ratings watch.

It was sometime around three in the morning, the four left in the main room nodding off on the couches and in the booth, when Sitron woke up to check the views. His hollering woke everyone else up, finding the bassist jumping up and down like a maniac in the middle of the area.

"_Five hundred thousand, baby!_" he cheered. "We're so fucking awesome we hit five hundred thousand and counting already!"

Olaf, Marshmallow, and Anna were on their feet, adrenaline and joy thrumming through their veins. Marshmallow was able to coax Elsa out with the news and she joined them in a selfie— Anna included— around the laptop, the five of them wearing goofy yet delighted expressions and pointing at the views counter.

Champions, indeed.

* * *

**So, for those of you who don't know, the version of **_**Let It Go**_** in this fic is the single version sung by Demi Lovato because it's more… I dunno… rock sounding. And nearing the end, she belts "the cold never bothered me anyway" (and there are a few "nah nahs" thrown in there) instead of "let the storm rage on" like in the original version.**

**Yeah.**

**Also, I suck at music video descriptions so I do apologize. Just imagine an awesome rock version of Elsa's _Let It Go_ sequence with the three boys playing in the stars and snow and whatnot. Or make up a better version in your head.**

**I'm starting college this week which means my time will be, well, limited. Don't expect too many chapters but I will try to update every Sunday from now on.**

**My tumblr: athpluver (link in my profile)**

**Fav/Follow/Review**

**See you next time!**


	6. A Certain Smile

**I've been drawing so much fan art for this story. My **_**own**_** story but I'm loving it.**

**I also mapped out their entire tour. So woo for that.**

**I **_**also**_** forgot to mention that I changed the sponsor from being in Ohio to Rapid City, in case you missed that. Reasons will be obvious by the time we get there.**

* * *

Santa Fe's concerts were… more exuberant than the ones Anna had seen so far. Elsa seemed motivated, animated, and her voice was far stronger than it had been before. The redhead reasoned that it was because of the views the music video was receiving. The astounding five hundred thousand grew into one million by the second concert in the city, giving the band a whole new reason to celebrate during the after parties.

All of which, Anna avoided.

She didn't want to waste anymore time by dancing with girls, being hit on by gross guys, and drinking underage without her fake emergencies-only ID (although that was a perk she would most definitely save for later). So she did her job, studied on the side, made sure the band was all prepared before the party, and then left to her hotel room for some free room service and a nice night curled up with one of her textbooks.

Sometime during one of the shows, she checked the YouTube video to see how fast the views were growing and scroll through the comments. Besides the occasional spam and misogynistic comments about Elsa having to dress more like a girl and that she should be in the kitchen making a sandwich (all of which Elsa saw and simply laughed) and blah, blah, blah, the feedback was all positive. Anna lost track of how many times she had watched the video on her break, falling under the breathtaking spell of the magic of the video. Swirling snow, frozen fractals, and crystalizing chills blew here away, Anna leaning in a corner to stare at her phone screen for the three minutes and forty-four seconds the video lasted throughout the song.

Elsa caught her before the second show started and started taunting her, asking Anna if she had fallen for her yet like so many others had before the ginger. She had received a hard smack in her shoulder by Anna as she stormed away, red faced. The punk was left laughing, rubbing the stinging skin that the leather-clad hand of her roadie caused.

On the final eve of their Santa Fe stop, Anna had made a quick run to the supermarket to pick up a few groceries before they headed off to Salt Lake City. To her surprise, she was accompanied by Marshmallow when he found her leaving through the stage door. So as she strolled through the aisles of canned goods and loafs of bread, she had a large man with his white hair shaved on one side in a white leather jacket trailing behind her, his lidded eyes observing the produce with more interest than they really deserved. It was rather humorous, as if she had a body guard to ensure her shopping went without her getting harmed.

Whenever Anna made a stop to grab a specific item, he'd pick up something off a shelf and read the ingredients, his eyes squinting until they formed a fine line on his thick face. If something was out of reach, he'd kindly get it for her and then pat her on the head with his gloved hands, as if she were some kind of child. He was chivalrous and wouldn't take no as an answer when he would get something for her, the ginger flustered that he was assisting her. But Anna found all of it quite endearing. He was a big, cuddly protector that could scare the living shit out of someone with one mean glance.

"Hey, I really need to thank you properly for helping me out last week," Anna told him as they strode to the check out line. "With the grocery list an everything."

"It's not very fair that Elsa's making you do all the pick up work without help," he said, shrugging his heavy shoulders.

"Well, I'm learning quickly that she's not very thoughtful towards others," Anna said critically. "Besides the time she beat up that one guy who was trying to have his way with me… otherwise, I don't think she cares about anyone but herself."

Marshmallow frowned some but didn't say anything. All he gave her was a tiny pat on the shoulder. Anna didn't know if it was meant to be supportive or to tell her to watch herself. Instead she sent him an expression that was an interesting cross between apologetic and grateful.

With all the groceries in bags, they started to go back to the bus, walking slowly along the sidewalk and stopping every few minutes for Marshmallow to sign a few autographs from fans who were still emptying the theatre a few miles away, heading back home or out to parties.

"So, tell me something," Anna said, breaking the silence in the warm air. "Well— two things."

"Sure," he grunted, hoisting a bag higher on his shoulder.

"One: is Marshmallow your real name? 'Cause if it is, how'd Olaf get away with a normal sounding name but you got something out of Judy Blume's Fudge Series?" Anna asked, raising her brows.

Marshmallow let out a laugh. "My real name is Marshall. Marshall Kollsvein," he began.

"_Kollsvein_? So Olaf is Olaf Kollsvein?" Anna tried to suppress a giggle.

"That's right," Marshmallow grinned, winking down at her. "But I never liked the name Marshall and kept trying to change it. Olaf used to tease me about it all the time and tried various nicknames like Marsh-head or Marshall-Law. All of which were very stupid and uncreative." They turned a corner, their grocery bags crinkling under their grasps. "But one day, while I was eating s'mores, Olaf came up to me and called me Marshmallow… and I liked it and it stuck— no pun intended."

"But why'd you keep it around as a stage name?"

"I thought it was funny. A big guy— bigger than his older brother which only adds to the comedy— being called something cute like Marshmallow. I mean, those things are fluffy and tiny for the most part. And look at _me_." He looked down at her, still smiling. "Do I really fit that picture?"

"Not… not entirely."

He laughed again, shaking his head. "What was your second thing?"

"Why did you come with me tonight?" she said, her voice getting small.

His brows shot up, blinking down at her with confusion.

"Did you not want me to come?" he wondered, feeling like he had forced his presence on this itty, bitty roadie.

That was the last thing he would have wanted to do to her, after all. She was so nervous to be around the band and it took her a while to ease into their ridiculous shenanigans such as dragging her around a desert town to shove some Hot Topic tees on her and cover her hands with leather gloves and dye a significant amount of her hair white. Olaf and Sitron were loud and very fast-talking so it was to be expected out of them to try to make themselves heard by the roadie. Marshmallow had no intention on making her feel uncomfortable.

"No! No, I just… I thought you'd want to go to the after party," she whispered.

"To be completely honest with you, Anna, I'm not a fan of the parties," he told her earnestly, relaxing with realization. "If you haven't noticed, I'm a gigantic wallflower… _literally_. I could fit in a greenhouse. Sometimes I sneak away to go to a bar and watch a game. I like the peace and quiet in a dive bar than a stuffy, smelly hotel room where all my friends are trying to get themselves laid… well, _Sitron_ tries to get himself laid. Elsa fools around with fans and Olaf makes everyone laugh until they pee."

Anna patted his giant arm, her hand looking tiny compared to the mass of his forearm. He almost, _almost_ winced at the touch but it was so kind and so caring that he felt comforted for some odd reason. It made him feel like she was watching him as much as he was watching her, taking care of one another from afar.

"Maybe next time you and I can grab a drink together," she said shyly.

"I'd like that," he agreed.

They continued to walk through the city, the warm summer air hanging all around them. The occasional breeze gusted by, making her long hair flutter on her shoulders and his massive white hair blow into his eyes. Anna broke the silence suddenly, her eyes getting big and a huge, childlike smile spreading across her face.

"Ooh, I gotta know! How many tattoos do you have?" she asked eagerly, jumping up and down as they turned another corner, the bus in sight.

"One."

"Only one?"

"On my shoulder." He pointed a thick finger to his right shoulder. "It's an abominable snowman that looks like it's ripping through my skin." Anna made a face and he chuckled, warm and deep. "Sorry, kid, I thought it was cool when I got it. Still do."

"I'm not judging you," she promised as they reached the bus doors. "And I really shouldn't have expected anything less."

"What _did_ you expect?"

"I dunno… maybe a rabbit?"

"A rabbit?"

They stared at one another for a split second, the bus doors wide open but Oaken no where to be found, most likely running a few last minute things backstage. It was silent between them once again, crickets chirping in the background. Then they started laughing, Anna letting out little snorts and Marshmallow rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, a slow bond growing between the two that had been formed when he gave her the list.

"You have an odd image of me, that's for sure," he said, extending his hand to let her go in first.

"You're just a little giant with a big heart," Anna teased, winking and heading into the bus.

"Good one," he complimented. "I'm usually called fluffy but I'll take that."

Anna giggled. "I'm glad."

"And don't worry, I'll make a comeback later when I know you better," he countered, following her inside.

* * *

It was no surprise to neither Marshmallow nor Anna that the other three returned to the bus with hangovers. The two had spent the rest of their night playing video games and eventually knocked out while watching a movie that was playing on HBO. They had been woken up by the loud and irritated voice of Elsa herself, stomping onto the bus, clutching her temple with one hand and fumbling with her messy braid in the other. Olaf followed closely behind her, his usually spiky hair rumpled and deflating, Sitron entering last with bags under his eyes and a bruise on his arm. Oaken was loading up the van with their equipment so they had time before the bus started heading out to Salt Lake City.

"What happened to your arm?" Anna asked Sitron as he sat next to her on the couch.

"Let's just say never ever bet against a little person and win," he said, pouting and nursing his black and blue wound.

Anna furrowed her brows and gave him an incredulous look, blinking slowly with what appeared to be disbelief and disturbance. She then exchanged looks with Marshmallow, searching for a proper explanation but he merely shrugged, clearly unable to find one to justify the bassist's actions.

Olaf wobbled over to his bunk and slid inside it, facing away from them and pulling his blankets over him, shoes and all. Elsa let out an extraordinary groan as she collapsed on the couch across from them.

"You look like you knocked on Death's door," Anna quipped, grinning as Elsa flipped her off.

"Death can kiss my ass," Elsa said gruffly.

"He probably did considering," Marshmallow said. "What did you guys _do_?"

"I think… I think… shit," Elsa muttered slowly. "Fuck, I don't know! I was really drunk last night, I can't remember anything."

"Elsa, I'm telling you this as… well… as your acquaintance." Anna leaned forward to make her point heard. "_Stop. Drinking. So. Much. _You're going to destroy your liver!"

"This was the most I've ever had in a very long time, kid," Elsa said, glaring at her. "So it's kind of a blur but I usually have enough so my wits are still about me but I may make a mistake or two. Like, for example, I can drive okay but I'll still be pulled over and charged with a DUI."

"You're a mess," Anna said bluntly.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll lay off the drinking until we get to Salt Lake City. Give my liver a break."

"That's not the point."

"You're such a fucking prude."

"If I live past the age of forty, I think I pass the test of life, Elsa."

"The test of life can only be won by those who live it."

"Exactly. You just made my point."

"And my live it, I mean experience. You can live for hundreds of years but it'll all mean nothing if you did nothing."

"Sometimes life ends fast when you make stupid decisions."

"It's not where you start life, it's where you end up."

"First of all, that's not even relevant to my previous statement. _Second: _I have an incredible feeling that your last words are going to be sarcastic and early. _Third_: you're dangerously close to the phrase YOLO—"

"Stop talking!" Olaf whined, clamping his gloved hands over his ears. "I can't sleep with all this noise!"

"Then pull your curtains closed," Sitron suggested.

"That won't do jack _shit_!" Olaf growled.

Oaken stepped onto the bus and shifted it into gear, the engine roaring to life and taking off into the Santa Fe and towards the highway. The band grew silent, the bus swaying ever so slightly as it moved along the road. Anna got up and went to the kitchen to try to make something for the hungry band around her, still steaming from her little back and forth with the stubborn lead singer.

The end result was six breakfast burritos. After she passed them all out on paper plates, she sat in the booth with her own and ate. Soon she was joined by Elsa, sitting beside her but remaining silent. Sitron finished his quickly and climbed into his own bunk for some extra shut eye. Marshmallow decided to change into some fresh clothes, gathering some from the drawer space between his bunk and Sitron's, and heading into the restroom.

"I know you're looking out for me," Elsa said softly.

"Hm?" Anna replied, mouth full of burrito.

"Drinking, I mean," she continued. "I guess I'm trying to live life to the fullest and this success has given me such a natural high… I'll come down from it, soon. When everything goes to shit and we fail as a band—"

"Elsa, stop," Anna scolded after a hard swallow. "You're _not_ going to fail. I have complete faith in you guys. And you deserve to enjoy yourself. I'm just not used to it, that's all." She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "And I said some very mean things. I'm sorry, Elsa."

"It's… I understand. You're okay."

"Good… but just know I'm going from a good place, okay?"

The punk side-glanced at her before busying herself with her breakfast, eyes cast on her plate instead, and remaining quiet.

After a few minutes, Elsa spoke up once again.

"Thanks for the breakfast. You're a really good cook," she complimented, offering Anna a smile.

"Oh! You're welcome," Anna flushed. "And, thank you… thanks."

The trip to Salt Lake City was going to take a few hours so everyone milled around the bus. Sitron and Olaf decided that their naps were going to take up most of the time, riding themselves of their hangovers in the fashion of not doing anything physical. Elsa holed herself up in her room and tried to write some new lyrics for a new song… that didn't exist yet. Marshmallow took to watching television and Anna was in her own room, talking to Rapunzel on FaceTime.

"I thought it would be more exciting than this," Anna continued, lying flat on her stomach, supporting her phone on her pillow and against the wall.

Rapunzel was— from what Anna could tell— in her room back in Arendelle, her chameleon Pascal resting on her shoulder. The brunette was peering into the portal of Anna's phone, trying to get a good look at the room surrounding her cousin.

"Well, you are only just getting started. Where are you?" she said, squinting her eyes and craning her neck, as if it would make a difference in the way she saw the background behind Anna.

"I'm in my bedroom on the bus," Anna said.

"You really _do_ have your own room! How fancy!"

"It's as big as a one person cabin on a cruise ship," Anna mumbled.

"Oh, quit your complaining," Rapunzel chided. "You're on a _tour bus_. With Dry fucking Ice. That's much more exciting than a cruise. And it's free. Think about _that_. So many people would kill to be where you are now. It'll be an amazing trip!"

"I dunno. Cruises can take me to Mexico and Hawaii and Alaska… not all at the same time but they could. I mean, they could go _any_where. I really want to go on a Disney Cruise to the Caribbean sometime. Ooh, remember when we all went to Hawaii for a week on that one trip with Merida and her family?" Anna sighed dreamily. "We mini-golfed on deck, did that cliché 'I can fly, Jack' thing from the Titanic for shits and giggles, gambled a little bit, Merida won me that really big bear stuffed animal at an arcade, and then you got that terrible sunburn and were so mad because I wrote 'penis' on your back with sunscreen." She started laughing. "And when Merida's brothers snuck into the kitchens. Oh my gosh, that was so funny! They brought back so much food for us in the cabin but then Elinor threw a _fit_. And then Merida and I kissed on the beach when the sun was setting… It was magical. Now _t__hat_ was an amazing trip."

"Only 'cause you got laid," Rapunzel reminded her, liking the slow return of Anna's rambling. It had been missed since Merida left and she hoped that the trip with Dry Ice would bring the old Anna round once again.

Anna rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the tint of pink brushing her cheeks. "I got laid for the fifth time by her, thank you very much."

"I still don't get it," Rapunzel said, shaking her head and allowing Pascal to nuzzle his face in her neck. "You date Hans for five months, he totally breaks your heart, and then you date Merida for a half a year almost immediately afterwards after you tried to hook up with different people. You've had two serious relationships outside high school… Merida only _just_ left to Scotland last November."

"Your point?"

"I just… I don't see why you're not looking for some hook ups on this trip!" Rapunzel exclaimed. "You're complaining about it not being as exciting as you had hoped! Why don't you spice it up!?"

"I have a job and studying to do, Punzie," Anna reasoned. "I can't just sleep with someone and get over it. Sex is very… connecting for me."

"But don't you see the beauty of road trips? One. Night. Stands." Her green eyes lit up with a wicked gleam. "Ooh, Anna, you can have _so_ many lovers all across the country!"

"I don't _want_ a line-up of lovers. I want a serious, romantic relationship."

"You're so hopeless." Rapunzel sighed. "Okay. Real talk."

"Was the previous conversation not real talk?"

"Shush! The band. What's going on with them?"

"They're sleeping off hangovers," Anna said dully. "Elsa's trying to write a song… and that's it. Well, Marshmallow isn't hungover. He's watching TV. Everyone is more or less riding out the journey to Salt Lake City with some way to keep them occupied. And I got you to keep me company."

"Awh, you're a sweetie," Rapunzel giggled.

In a split second, she paused and cocked her head to one side, the goofy little smile vanishing. She leaned back, blinked a couple of times, rubbed her eyes, and then leaned forward until her face was almost pressed against the screen.

"What are you doing?" Anna demanded, cocking an eyebrow in a very Elsa-esque fashion.

"Anna… did you do something new with your hair? I'm just realizing… it's down."

"Oh! Yeah!" Anna laughed and showed off the shock of white in her ginger mane. "I got… punked… to put it into terms. The boys took me out to get a look that matches theirs last week."

Rapunzel let out a little scream, startling her pet into the color of her shirt.

"OMG!" she squealed. "Anna, I love!"

"Thank you!" Anna grinned. "It's grown on me already."

"I think it looks awesome."

Someone started calling Rapunzel's name on the other end and she frowned, listening hard to what was only a garbled mess on Anna's side.

"Okay, Mom!" Rapunzel called back. "I'll be right down!" She turned to Anna, sending her an apologetic look. "I gotta go. Lunch plans. Call me later, sweetie! Keep me posted!"

"Will do," Anna promised, waving at Rapunzel until the call ended.

She stared at her phone until the screen went to black, falling on its front into the plush exterior of her pillow with a tiny jolt from the bus surrounding her. Anna picked it up and placed it on her beside table, flipping herself over until she was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling for a good ten minutes.

Someone knocked on her door, pulling her out of her lazy stupor. She allowed entry and Elsa stepped inside, leaning against the doorframe casually, crossing her arms across her chest.

"How you doin', kiddo?" she asked.

"I'm tired. And you?" Anna replied.

"Same. I came in here to tell you we're getting off in a bit for some lunch. Figured you might be hungry."

Anna nodded, feeling her stomach growl for the first time. The mention of food brought out the animal waiting to be fed, clawing at her insides for something worth digesting.

"Please tell me it's not a fast food place," Anna said. "I love the stuff but I don't have a home gym in this place."

Elsa smirked. "No. We're going to get something good this time, promise. You like steak?"

"I… I guess."

"Cool. 'Cause we're going to a steak house."

"Oh…! Okay?"

* * *

Lunch was just about what she expected. Crammed in a booth with the four band members while Oaken guarded them, Elsa giving out the request of not wanting to be disturbed. They were given well sized portions and Anna was able to get a side salad instead of just fries, hoping that her petite body would be able to balance it out. Maybe she could persuade them to stop at a gym so she could work all the calories out of her body and get rid of the guilt of indulging on fast food.

It could only be a good thing for a certain amount of time.

After they finished and paid the bill, it was back on the bus and back on the road. Instead of staying in her room and studying, she decided to join in on a game of Guitar Hero, completely obliterating Olaf in a round, to which he responded by swearing and pouting like a child before throwing himself onto the couch and watching her take on Elsa.

Who she beat, too.

Much to the punk's pleasant surprise.

She tried to give Anna a reward by kissing her cheek but Anna refused, only to end up being chased around the little area, Elsa teasing her about being shy and pretending to be offended when Anna kept saying no. Eventually the game of cat and mouse ended and Anna lost to Sitron in the following round.

They were still on the road as nighttime fell. The five of them ate dinner on the bus with some frozen meals and popcorn, watching a thriller movie. Anna kept jumping at every little thing. Olaf was staring wide-eyed at the screen and shoveling popcorn into his mouth. Sitron was pretending to not be afraid but kept wincing and tried to play it off by throwing a coughing fit which ended up in everyone shushing him. Marshmallow was grimacing at every tiny piece of gore that was shown on screen, his face turning a delicate shade of green. Elsa was leaning back in her seat, next to Anna, and was actually very stoic regardless of what was being shown.

But she was incredibly sweet, Anna noted, because every time the redhead jumped or let out a small scream, Elsa's thumb on her right hand— which was thrown over Anna's shoulder casually— would brush over her shirt sleeve soothingly, easing the roadie's fear. It was that little something that made Anna feel like Elsa was more than just a rude and self-centered punk.

That feeling was shot down however, when Anna jumped so hard, the popcorn bowl went flying out of her lap and onto Olaf's head— he was sitting on the floor in front of her— and Elsa started laughing so hard, tears were brought to her eyes. After apologizing to Olaf profusely, she shoved Elsa's arm off her shoulders and crossed her own, pursing her lips, containing her tiny jumps from escaping. Out of the corner of her eye, she occasionally watched Elsa and secretly wanted the comforting touches of her hand.

But that ship had left the dock long ago for the punk was very put-off by the roadie's sour mood.

When the movie finished, they all went to bed, hoping to reach Salt Lake City before sundown the next day. Oaken had pulled into a rest stop so he himself could get some sleep in his big chair, leaning it back as far as it could go and snapping a fuzzy eye mask over his head.

Anna woke up to the movement of the bus and noise coming from the main room. Upon entering, she only found Elsa— still in her pajamas— and sitting at the booth drinking a cup of instant hot chocolate Anna had picked up in the market back in Santa Fe.

"G'morning, sunshine," Elsa whispered, pointing a finger at the still sleeping band members tucked away in their bunks. She pressed said finger to her lips before gesturing to Anna to join her. "Care for some hot chocolate?"

"I'm okay at the moment," Anna said quietly, sitting across from Elsa. "Why are you up so early?"

"I had trouble going back to sleep," Elsa admitted, staring into the depths of her beverage. "So I decided to just… wake up."

Her hands, Anna realized, were gloved even though it was still early in the morning. Did Elsa _sleep_ in the things?

"You look exhausted," the ginger pointed out, her forehead creasing with concern.

"I was up all night, to be completely honest," Elsa replied, using the ends of her fingers to rub her eyes instead of her entire, leather-clad fist. "Trying to write a song. 'Let It Go' came to me so easily…"

"What inspired you to write it? Maybe you should go back to those roots."

Elsa blinked at her slowly before smirking gently. "Kid, you're seriously going to have to take our potential friendship one step at a time. If I told you what inspired me, you'd know the meaning. I intend on keeping it between me and the band."

Anna pouted. "That's unfair. Aren't I a part of the band?"

"Not really," Elsa stated bluntly, sipping her drink. "You're a roadie. The help. Nothing but a common, paid worker."

Although she didn't show it— and was very astonished to hear it said in such a tone— Anna was hurt by Elsa's words. She had made herself believe that, in some tiny, minuscule way, she was part of Dry Ice. Wasn't it the crew that made the band great? Made things go smooth? Did Elsa really think of her as nothing but a common employee under her care until the they dropped her off in Arendelle? And did it also mean she would never see hide nor hair of them afterwards once everything was said and done until they decided to grace her hometown with their presence again?

She forced herself to remain placid, tapping the tabletop with her fingers. Elsa licked her lips of the residue from her hot chocolate. She sighed and leaned back in her seat, giving Anna a pitying glance.

"Perhaps that was a little to harsh," she said. "Don't take it the wrong way, Anna."

The sound of her name made the redhead feel more at ease. Usually when Elsa said her name, she was more sincere about things in conversation. The pet name "kid" was tossed around so often Anna often forgot that Elsa knew what her name really was.

"I didn't," Anna lied. "I understand what you mean."

"Good," Elsa said, nodding once. "I'm glad."

Anna sent her a weak smile before shrinking into the plush exterior of the booth, letting her mind wander and her eyes drift to the rolling road around them. Elsa had kicked her bare feet up on the upholstery on Anna's left side, enjoying her drink to the fullest.

There was a short creak from one of the bunks and a soft snore out of Marshmallow's mouth. Sitron's bunk had the curtains pulled all around him, Olaf's were haphazardly tugged but hardly covered the guitarist's sleeping space, and Marshmallow's curtains weren't drawn, tucked in their little cloth, velcro holding at each end of his area. Anna wondered what Elsa's bedroom looked like. She only caught a glimpse of it when she was given the tour of the bus but didn't get a chance to see fully inside of it.

Her eyes shifted back onto the punk, feeling slightly… culture-shocked for the first time in the two weeks she had spent in her presence. She was traveling with _Elsa_ and _Dry Ice_. Big names. And everyone knew who they were. Seen from billboards to tiny articles in newspapers. Out of everyone in her entire fandom, Anna was the one Elsa chose to have trek around the country with them. She had asked Elsa why but her answer was somewhat vague and left Anna confused evermore.

In spite of how snide and obnoxious Elsa had been so far, Anna appreciated the chance she was given and had high hopes for the rest of the journey.

"Elsa… did I ever really thank you properly for this opportunity?" Anna inquired shyly. "Because I feel like I didn't. So… thank you. Thank you very much."

Icy eyes flickered onto her from gazing out the window. They clashed with teal and, for the first time, Anna felt a real emotional tug towards the mysterious rockstar. A tug that warmed her heart like never before. The way Elsa's eyes searched and combed inside her own felt as if she was trying to read into the deeper meaning of Anna's thanks. As if she were trying to deduce the girl before her down to the sub molecular level. A kind of studious gaze Anna had never seen Elsa wear and only made her want to keep the eye contact longer between them.

Then…

Elsa smiled.

It wasn't that half smile she'd give or her pretentious little smirk or her cat-like grin. It was a genuine smile, pulling at her freckle dusted cheeks and up to her eyes, scrunching her button nose slightly, and reaching the blue orbs, making them sparkle. A type of smile Anna had received from and given to Merida, to Rapunzel, and once to Hans. Elsa made it different from the ones Anna had seen, however. It was for more special, more intimate. It was affectionate but to the point of distant admiration.

Like it was reserved for certain eyes only.

"You're very welcome," Elsa said softly, inclining her head into a tiny, graceful bow that held a queen-like presence, Anna feeling like a peasant before the ruler. Feeling honored to receive a real smile from the punk.

The moment was never broken when Elsa tore her eyes away from Anna to stare out the window again. Her smile didn't even fade from her pale face. Anna was pleased, leaning her arms on the tabletop and looking out the window, too. That was progress and both of them knew it. Progress that Anna was getting to Elsa somehow but neither of them needed to make a scene out of it.

And there they sat, swaying gently with the chugging of the bus in a booth, both of which belonged to the coolest band crossing the United States. The boys snoozing in their beds, Oaken listening to the radio on the other side of the closed, sliding door, and the two girls enjoying each other's company. Not as rockstar and roadie but as merely friends with a long path ahead of them.

* * *

**So it's shorter than I intended but I'm going to be busy this weekend and I wanted to get this all out to you before Sunday. I'll hopefully have the next chapter to you all by next Sunday.**

**So update day is Sunday. If I miss it, I'm sorry.**

**And holy shit, you guys, how many damn follows do I have now!? You're all so incredible. Thank you so much!**

**Tumblr: athpluver**

**Fav/Follow/**_**Review**_

**See you next time!**


	7. Dirty Little Secret

**Updated early. If I don't procrastinate on this, then you get it a day early. So congrats.**

**So I changed the last chapter's name to **_**A Certain Smile**_** because I realized I should save what it was previously called for a future chapter.**

**Has anyone figured out what each chapter title has in common yet? I'll reveal all when the story ends if you never eventually get it. But they all have something in common :3**

**And I want to give a big THANK YOU to **_**lauraknatt**_** on Tumblr who made a big Fic Rec and featured **_**Scars of a Façade **_**and **_**Sun Kissed**_** alongside so many other fan fictions. Thank you for putting word of my stories out there, friend. I really appreciate it :)**

**Anywho, shall we move on?**

* * *

It took another hour or so from the time Anna woke up to finally reach Salt Lake City. By then, the boys had gotten up and got ready for a day full of practice before the following evening when they were scheduled to perform.

"We're here a day early," Elsa said with a nod as they all stepped out of the bus. "Not bad."

"This is really great!" Olaf said enthusiastically. "I love Salt Lake! Ooh, Els, can we go souvenir shopping during lunch?"

"I have no interest in doing that," Elsa said blandly but gave him a smirk. "Take the kid with you."

"Wait, what?" Anna said, Olaf linking arms with her.

"You and I are gonna have some more friendship bonding time, that's what!" he announced joyfully. "It'll be a blast!"

"A blast _then_. We have to get practicing," Sitron reminded him, grabbing him by the back of his shirt and dragging him to the theatre, Olaf pouting all the way there.

Marshmallow followed close behind, sticking his big hands in his jeans pockets. Elsa and Anna walked together after them, Oaken unloading all the heavy equipment from the bus.

"You've been doing great, kid," Elsa said, clapping Anna on the shoulder with her gloved hand. "Our shows have never run smoother."

"Good to know I'm helping out," Anna said cheerfully. "It's easy work, like, I'm actually able to hang out and get paid. Wait, no. I mean that in a good way. Not that I'm slacking. I'm a really hard worker when I put my mind to it. Not that I haven't been putting my mind to it, of course, 'cause I _have_. I dunno if you've noticed but I have. And I'm totally grateful for the opportunity. After all you coulda had some creepy fan. Well, not that your fans are creepy but there are _some_ that are a little… interesting. But most of your fan base is awesome!" Anna was waving her hands as she spoke, getting redder in the face as she tumbled over her rambling. "Not that I would know 'cause I'm not cut out to be a punk. Don't let my clothes fool you— but of course you already know that." She laughed nervously as Elsa stared at her, incredibly pleased to see a side of Anna she had yet to see. "I mean, you're the absolute definition of punk. But not one of those stereotypical—"

"Anna!" Elsa shouted, cutting the blubbering redhead off. "Calm _down_, kid. You're talking a mile a minute."

"Sorry… I'm a rambler and it's been a while since I've had a full on ramble," Anna mumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous tick she had longed to get over. "Ever since Merida left, I've hardly had things to say." She side glanced at Elsa, sending her an apologetic smile. "So I'm sorry ahead of time if I annoy you."

"You're always on the line," Elsa teased, grabbing Anna around the neck and giving her a noogie, earning shouts of protest from the younger girl. "You're an obnoxious but very sweet dork."

"Get off of me, you punk!" Anna hollered, landing a soft blow in Elsa's side, forcing the celebrity off and stumbling backwards, howling with laughter.

"Ooh, the kid's gotta good swing!" Elsa praised, continuing their route to the stage door. "No wonder Hans' tooth got the fuck out of his lying mouth. I'm pretty sure one of my ribs tried to make a break for it." She flexed her arms at Anna, flashing a stupid grin. "You're some kinda super hero aren't ya? That strength gotta come from somewhere."

"Knock it off," Anna pouted, the two of them entering the stage door and ascending the stairs to the backstage area.

"I'm just playing around. Take a chill pill and—" A wicked gleam in Elsa's eye alerted Anna to the pun before she even sang it out. "—_let it go!_" The punk cackled at her ridiculous joke and bounded over to her bandmates, Anna cursing herself for not seeing the phrase coming from a mile away.

Instead she plodded off to do her job around the stage, assisting the techies with setting up and other stagehands with moving equipment back and forth.

It was barely her second week into the job but she was getting a hang of things with ease. It wasn't an incredibly hard job anyway. All she really had to do was make sure Elsa and the band was taken care of.

But when the caterer said that they were unable to get Arrowhead water, Anna almost felt the world quake with the tantrum Elsa was sure to cause.

So Anna decided that it was her job to do the yelling.

She reached up and grabbed the burly caterer by the collar of his shirt and yanked him down with the brute strength that Elsa had complimented earlier that morning. She got nose-to-nose with the guy and bared her teeth.

"Do you want Elsa to find out there isn't any Arrowhead water?" she growled dangerously. "Because if there isn't any Arrowhead water, there may not be a _concert_. Do you understand me?" The man gulped but Anna kept talking. "You better go out and get some fucking Arrowhead _right now_. I don't care how inconvenient it is or how far you have to travel, you better get it here before lunch time or else there'll be a big problem?" She grabbed a bottle that was waiting innocently on the table to her left. She waved the Fiji water in his face. "This bullshit will not be tolerated! Got it?"

He nodded rapidly and straightened, hightailing it out of the stage in order to accommodate the water wishes that were passed from punk to roadie. With a smirk that would have made Elsa proud, Anna gathered the offending water into her arms and trekked over to Oaken so he may dispose of them properly to another changing room where Elsa couldn't see them.

While she watched the big security guard lumber out of sight, she heard laughter come from somewhere behind her. Olaf was giggling at her, incredibly pleased to see the little roadie take charge to those around her. He clapped jovially and she curtsied sarcastically, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Excellent job!" he praised. "I think you're the first roadie to do something about a catering malfunction." He winked at her and stuck out his gloved hand. "You ready?"

"For what?" she inquired, taking his hand with her own and allowing him to hold it kindly.

"Shopping, silly!" he chimed and started to lead her out of the amphitheater. "Then we'll get lunch. We need some more bonding time, don'tcha think?"

"You're one of the good ones. You and your brother," Anna said, frowning softly. "You're really spot on. Elsa's so hard to read. One moment she's giving me this sweet smile and then she's giving me noogies. How does that even work? What is she _on_?"

Olaf giggled again. "She's just doing what she always does. She's actually incredibly socially awkward."

"No… no, I don't think so," Anna said, shaking her head.

"Well, I told you. Hard to read for a lot of people," he said, giving her a sad smile. "But she'll make sense the more you hang out with her. And hey, Sitron isn't so bad, either!"

"I don't really know him that well, either," she sighed. "I got to get more bonding time with the other two. Marshmallow has already become my good friend."

"I'm glad!" he gushed. "The big guy is always proving himself to be a fantastic pal!"

"I can't believe you're the older one," she teased, the two of them finally hitting the streets of Salt Lake City.

"That's me! He just got our dad's genes. I got all my mom's!" He shrugged joyfully. "But I don't mind. It's always funny to see people's faces when we tell who is the older brother." His smile grew so Anna could make out the slight buck teeth. "When we first met Elsa, her jaw dropped to the floor and she asked us if we were joking."

"When did you meet Elsa?" she wondered.

"High school," he replied genially.

They entered a small souvenir shop and started browsing around the T-shirts and hats and other items that had _Salt Lake City_ stamped on them. It wasn't very crowded and made it easy for them to navigate around other costumers without losing each other and going on a wild goose chase.

"Did she always wear those gloves?" she asked as they came to a stop in front of a rack of shirts with assorted logos and pictures.

"Oh, goodness no," he said, raising his brows. "The Elsa I knew was completely different from the one you know now."

"You're joking."

"Nope."

Anna suppressed a snort. "I don't believe you."

"Maybe if we stop by our hometown, I'll show you some pics," he said. "I'm sure I still have some in my photo album at home." He scratched the back of his head with his gloved hand. "Although, I dunno if Elsa would be comfortable with that."

"I'll just keep it in the back of my head," Anna offered, picking out a plain black shirt with a snowman dressed in a tuxedo on the front. "Whaddya think? This is very you."

He laughed at it and took it from her. "Very nice taste in clothing, Anna. Maybe I'll buy it!" He took the sleeves between his index finger and middle finger and mimicked making an incision. "I could turn it into a tank!"

"Why?"

"'Cause I like 'em. I _love_ the heat and can't stand long sleeved shirts… unless it's winter."

They made their way around the store a little while longer and Anna picked out an olive green crop top with a faded heart in the center or it that had called her name from across the room. With shopping bags in their leather bound grips, they continued their route around the city, talking and laughing as if they were old friends.

It didn't quite feel she had known Olaf forever but he was so relatable and sunny that it was hard not to feel a closeness to the childish goof. He was easy to talk to, that was for sure.

They entered a few more shops and bought some trinkets and shirts together. Like many of the band members of Dry Ice, Olaf was recognized and stopped by fans and was asked for his autograph. He would kindly oblige and take pictures, selfies, and even give hugs to his fans. As they entered a mall to hunt for some food in the food court, Anna was battling with a question she desperately wanted to ask since they had left the first store.

When she asked about the gloves, Olaf was astonished at the thought that Elsa would have worn the things outside of her punk persona. As if they were a complete no-no in high school. Not only did it pique Anna's interest on who Elsa really was, but it made the gloves seem more of a mystery.

As they waited in line for a Panda Express, Anna stared down at the leather that protected her freckled hands from the elements and was most likely giving her the worst tan in the history of tans since her father's sock tan. Everyone in the band wore gloves, Oaken wore gloves… now Anna had jumped the bandwagon with the rest of the fandom and donned the things in honor of the rock star that made girls and boys alike fall to their knees.

But why?

After they paid for their food and picked out a table, Olaf was the first to dive into his egg rolls and chow-mein as if it were his last meal. Anna meekly picked at her rice, teal eyes clouded over. With a slurp of his soda, the guitarist eyed the roadie up and down, sensing the pensive mood radiating from her.

"Penny for your thoughts," he said cheekily.

"It's nothing really," Anna mumbled, leaning her cheek into her hand and stuffing her mouth with orange chicken.

"C'mon! It's clearly something," he pointed out needlessly. "Seriously, I'll give you a penny!" He dug into his pocket and fished out some of the change he had received a few stores ago, slamming a tiny copper coin on the tabletop before Anna.

She stared at the penny before letting her eyes wander up to his face, finding that cartoon grin waiting for her. Anna couldn't help but to smile back, taking the penny.

"Alright, Olaf… now feel free to not answer the question," she said slowly, earning an understanding nod. She took in a deep breath before plunging in. "What's the real deal with the gloves?"

The expression of curiosity on Olaf's face melted into one of grimness and uncertainty. It was then did Anna realize how deep she was treading into the personal waters and was pretty sure she had crossed the line.

_Of course it's personal_, she scolded herself. _You've hardly had time with these guys and you're expecting it to be answers galore._

"Anna, to be perfectly honest with you, that's not a question for me to answer," he told her, genuinely appearing apologetic. "That's Elsa's department."

"Oh…" Anna said quietly, losing her appetite.

If she asked Elsa, would she receive a cold glare and a silent treatment? Would it be something that would be banned from conversation ever again? And would Anna be stripped of her own gloves, as if she were losing some kind of ranking amongst the band?

"It's not my place to reveal such information," Olaf said quickly, horrified at the shameful look on his friend's face and was quickly trying to assure her that it was a common question. "Elsa's been asked that before, believe me, but it's really up to her to talk about it."

"I understand," she said, offering him a thankful smile. "Thanks anyway, Olaf."

"Not a problem!" he sang. "She won't hate you, I know that for a fact." He winked at her. "Just don't try to drag it outta her, yeah?"

Anna giggled. "I promise I won't."

* * *

The after party the following evening was one Anna decided to attend. To show her that being at parties weren't all bad, Olaf was glued to her by the hip so she could join he and his usual gang of whooping hyenas. Olaf _was_ genuinely funny, the redhead was pleased to discover for herself. She was doubled over half way through the evening for the umpteenth time after one of his stories, tears streaming down her freckled cheeks and her sides hurting. The others all around her were cracking up just as much, the guitarist smiling humbly at his audience.

Sometime that night, Anna had finally broken off from the group to get a drink and find one of the other band members. Marshmallow was also attending the party, holding up a conversation with a few fan girls. She let him be so he could blossom and get more social without the help of the roadie. Elsa was somewhere in the corner with one of the party-goers and was really getting down to business with the girl.

With a roll of her eyes, Anna headed out to the balcony instead, taking a large swig of her beer. To her surprise, she found Sitron completely sober and enjoying a cigarette, gazing out to the Salt Lake City skyline.

"Hey, horse head," Anna teased, leaning on the railing beside him.

"Hey, ginger ale," he replied, sending her his crooked, toothy grin. "How ya doin'? Being a good girl?"

"Oh, of course not," she said sarcastically. "I'm drinking underage. I'm such a badass. I'm pretty sure the cops are on their way."

He chortled under his breath. "Sorry. I had to call 'em."

"Party pooper." She took another long drink before coming up, smacking her lips to test the aftertaste of the brew. "I'm shocked to see you're not causing a scene inside."

"Eh, that gets old after a while," he said with a shrug. "But I'm probably gonna start up again the next time."

"Whatcha doing out here anyway?"

"Getting some air."

"And yet you're smoking?"

"It's a habit." He took a drag before blowing the smoke out in a neat line until it billowed out into the wind. "But I can't quit."

"You're aware it's unhealthy, right?"

"Oh, of course," he said. "I'd be an idiot if I didn't. But I love these little fuckers too much to quit."

Anna smiled wryly. "I get it. So you're just hanging out?"

"Yup. What about you?"

"I was looking around for one of you guys. Olaf is hilarious but I decided to give my lungs a break from laughing so much… although my lungs aren't exactly happy with the secondhand smoke." She winked at him as he rolled his eyes. "Marshmallow is being chatty and Elsa's… she's making out with some girl."

"She does that a lot."

"Why? She never sleeps with them! She's a giant tease."

He let out a laugh that sounded like a horse's whinny. He tapped some ash off the tip of his cigarette before putting it between his teeth. He didn't respond to the roadie's exasperated statement, simply grinning at her confusion on why Elsa was one to fool around but never make the ironic commitment of a one night stand.

Instead, he continued to stare out into the city, his lopsided smile reminding her very much of Augustus Waters but with a lit cigarette and without the tragic ending. Anna fiddled with her beer bottle and watched the sky line, too, letting the image whisk her away into a stupor of deep thought.

After a couple of long minutes of silence between the two, a few partiers coming and going for a quick smoke and conversation without the noise, and the smell of the familiar coffin nails, Anna decided to ask Sitron his opinion on the question she had asked Olaf the day before.

"Hey, Sitron…"

"Hm?"

"Do you think it's a good idea to bring up these—" She lifted her hand, palm facing the bassist. "—to Elsa?"

"Hands?" he said stupidly, furrowing his brow.

"No! The gloves," she explained.

"Ohhh. Shit, I dunno," he shrugged, finishing off his cigarette, putting it out on the railing and flicking it off the balcony. "It's not like others have been curious before."

"Do you know why?"

"'Course I do. Oaken knows, Olaf, Marshmallow, and I'm pretty sure Kai does too," he said. "It's Elsa business though. We just go along with it 'cause we're a family."

"Elsa said I'm not part of the band," Anna said softly.

"Don't know what to tell you, Anna," he frowned. "Look, don't take what she's says personally. Elsa's a very sheltered, walls up kind of gal. If you get under her skin enough, then you might find yourself learning all about her." He patted her shoulder as he turned, making his way back inside. "Go and get some rest, kid. You've earned it."

He opened the sliding door and slipped back into the party, vanishing in the sea of bodies. Anna finished her drink and rested the bottle on the floor, stretching and cracking her back. Maybe Sitron was right. Maybe she should hold off on asking Elsa anything too personal and wait until Elsa was spilling her secrets to her in confidence. The gloves were clearly a delicate, yet popular, topic.

But the last thing Anna wanted was to be punched in the gut by a set of gloves being worn by the celebrity.

She took in one more breath, the scent of Sitron's smoke still hanging in the air, and headed back into the party. She pushed her way through the crowd so she could retrieve the room key from Marshmallow, who kindly handed it to her with a wink. She bid him goodnight and strolled out of the loud, booming room and into the quiet hallway.

The elevator ride a few floors below was also quiet, allowing her thoughts to roam from one to the other peacefully. Her room was a few doors down from the elevator and the hallway was warm, making her lids droop. She peeled off her gloves and let her hands get some air, stuffing the leather into her jeans pocket and strolling along the carpeted floor, her knock-off Converse making muffled noises.

With her room found, she stuck the card in its slot and it allowed her entry to the fresh and plain hotel room.

But she wasn't alone.

Elsa was sitting on one of the chairs, massaging her temple and groaning. Anna blinked and checked that she was in the right room, staring intently down at the paper with Marshmallow's scribbling of the room number.

"Uh… am I supposed to be in here?" she asked, looking up at Elsa, feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

"Yeah," Elsa nodded, not meeting her eyes, her lids shut over her icy orbs, her head between her legs. "It… It was cheaper. And I didn't think you'd want to spend a night with the three idiots."

"Thank you?" It came out as a question. Anna was unsure how she should feel about sharing a room with Elsa.

A bus was one thing. They had to endure tight quarters but they all had their own personal space. But it wasn't like there was only one bed. Two queens rested side by side, the only thing between them being a nightstand. Then again, Anna had shared beds and hotel rooms with some of her friends before so it wasn't such a big deal.

"You alright?" Anna said, approaching Elsa, deciding to shove the discomfort from her mind.

"Yeah," Els repeated. "Just… fuck." She leaned back in her seat, her pale complexion tinted green. "I dunno _what_ I drank but…"

"You need anything?" Anna asked, concern lacing her words. "I can run out and get some ginger ale. Maybe aspirin? You don't look so good. Like you're about to throw up."

"I'll be fine," the punk protested, swatting away the hand Anna had been extending to check Elsa's temperature. "I most likely drank too much."

Anna grimaced down at her but didn't press any further. The rockstar was clearly in no mood to be touched, even if it was going to be a gentle and caring one. It was an odd turn around from an hour ago when Elsa was forcing her tongue down some girl's throat (not that the girl wasn't enjoying it, of course). Turning on her heel, Anna strode over to her bed, shedding her jacket off her body. She wasn't going to take Elsa's crap now. She was tired and wanted to get to sleep.

Elsa had risen to her feet and staggered to the restroom, grumbling swears Anna didn't understand under her breath. Once the door shut, Anna kicked her shoes and socks off before removing her jeans, tossing them into a corner. She reached under and behind her shirt to remove her bra from beneath the fabric, throwing that with the rest of her clothes. With that, she slid underneath the crisp sheets with the same comfort her first night on the bus supplied her.

The room was dark when Elsa finally came out of the bathroom. Anna watched her silhouette move across the room to the bed next to hers. Slowly, Elsa crawled beneath her blankets, the gloves still glued to her hands. Anna turned over so she was facing the wall instead, giving Elsa the privacy to remove them if she wished.

There was only silence between them, their friendship on the awkwardest level Anna had ever experienced in her life.

With nothing else left to do or say, Anna let her eyelids slide shut and sleep overtake her. She could have sworn she heard Elsa wish her a goodnight before dreams infiltrated her mind and sent her along into unconsciousness.

* * *

The rest of the shows were flawless, as usual. Parties were left unattended by Anna, however, the redhead eager to get back on the bus and head into Boise, Idaho, which was their next designation according to Olaf. Instead, after the shows, Anna retreated to the hotel room and read, bringing along some pajamas for the rest of their stay. She and Elsa still shared the room, which was very irritating because whenever Anna seemed to drift into a dreamless slumber, the punk would burst into the room loudly, startling the poor roadie awake.

So the time on the bus couldn't come fast enough.

When it did, Anna was eternally grateful, making a promise to herself to never, ever, ever share a room with Elsa ever again. She'd share with Olaf or Sitron or Marshmallow for all she cared but Elsa was simply too inconsiderate. When she complained to the jovial guitarist as they drove to Idaho— her foot in his bare hands as he gave her a foot rub that he insisted upon giving— and Elsa being absent from the room, locking herself in her own to attempt to write a song, all he did was laugh.

"What did you expect?" he giggled.

"Frankly, I have no idea," Anna grumbled, leaning her back against the armrest of the couch, a magazine in her grip. She rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, letting them linger there. "I swear, it's like she has multiple personality disorder! I can't keep up."

"Nobody can," Sitron joked from the booth right behind Anna's head. She felt a leather clad hand rub her bangs and she grunted, batting it away in annoyance.

"Anyone who can keep up with Elsa is a saint," Olaf agreed. "And we are none."

Marshmallow chuckled from the couch across from them. "Not at all. Sometimes Elsa changes attitudes so fast, I get whiplash."

"You should write a song about that," Anna grunted, flipping the page in her magazine only to see Elsa's smirking face staring up at her from a recent interview back in Santa Fe. "Call it _Snow Queen Whiplash_."

All three boys laughed, making Anna very proud. It was clear to her that they were better at getting along with her than Elsa was. It gave her comfort to know there were some people that appreciated having her around.

Olaf was being a kind, big brother-esque buddy and took all the stress out of her with a simple foot rub. It was bliss, Anna mused, as he worked his thumbs into the bottom of her aching foot. The other two boys were simply hanging out, exhausted from their concerts and trying to regain some energy for their next set. Sitron was doing some sort of puzzle in the paper he had picked up before they left the hotel and Marshmallow was drinking a soda, reading a book on something Anna couldn't see. All she knew was it was a humorous book, for the big guy would chuckle under his breath every so often.

Elsa eventually showed her face, sitting across from Sitron with a bottle of water clutched in her gloved hand. She looked absolutely stressed out, her brow furrowed and eyes clouded.

"Nice of you to grace us with your presence, Majesty," Sitron quipped.

"Put a sock in it," Elsa spat.

All Sitron did was snicker, continuing his puzzle.

"Elsa, I don't think all that work is help you out," Olaf piped up, concerned for his best friend. "Give it a rest! You'll think of a song. All in good time."

"Kai isn't asking you almost every other day about it," Elsa deadpanned, sending him a reproachful look.

"Tell him to fuck off," Sitron stated blandly.

"I wish," Elsa sighed, letting her head fall onto the table top with a dull clunk.

"Want a foot rub?" Olaf offered. "After I'm done with Anna, I can switch to you. Really takes the stress away, right?" He looked at Anna for support.

"Oh, yeah!" Anna agreed enthusiastically. "It takes a load off."

"Thanks but no thanks," came Elsa's muffled reply. "I'll be fine without a rub."

"Suit yourself," Olaf shrugged, continuing his work on Anna.

"How long until we get to Boise?" Elsa asked, her head still planted on the table.

"A couple more hours," Marshmallow responded, scratching the shaved side of his head.

Elsa groaned bringing her fists up to the table and slamming them down on the surface, earning an unappreciative grunt from Sitron, the bassist rubbing away the mark his stray pencil made from the bit of turbulence Elsa's hand and caused. Olaf and Anna exchanged equal glances of worry for the lead singer, hoping that she wasn't working herself into the ground.

The door separating them from Oaken slid open and their bus driver spoke up.

"Hoo-hoo! We are almost to Boise but I have to stop for gas," he told them cheerfully. "Good time to make a run to the liquor store, yah?"

"I could go for a slushie," Anna said.

"Ooh, you just read my mind," Elsa hummed, lifting her head with a dreamy smile. "That sounds heavenly."

"I wanna take a quick smoke, too," Sitron added.

"We're approaching a rest stop so get ready," Oaken instructed before closing the sliding door to continue the route.

"Awesome!" Anna cheered, clapping her hands. "Slushies for everyone!"

Olaf let her foot slip out from his hands and he grinned. "Anna, you're an idea guy! I like that!"

"Thanks!" Anna giggled, swinging her feet off the couch. "And thanks for the rub. That really worked wonders."

"Glad I could help. Anytime you're feeling stressed, I'll take it off for ya!" He winked at her with his buck-toothed grin.

"Great to know," Anna said honestly, ducking down to collect her socks and sneakers.

"Really good idea, though," Elsa complimented, sliding out of the booth and sitting beside Anna instead, watching the roadie put on her shoes. "A slushie will really help me out. I _love_ 'em."

"'Cause they're cold?" Anna grinned up at her.

"Just like my heart," Elsa countered, laughing behind her gloved fist.

"Ooh, a stab at yourself! Very lovely," Anna said, deciding to roll with the punches of Elsa's personality changes.

"I can't let everyone have a poke at me," Elsa winked.

Once Oaken pulled into a gas station, the band clambered out and made a beeline for the 7-11 that was awaiting them. Excitedly, they grabbed cups of all sizes and started pouring concoctions and mixtures of several different flavors into them, thankful for the cold blessing chock-full of artificial coloring from the unforgiving heat outside. With their drinks paid for, they returned to the bus to slurp on their sinfully sweet beverages inside.

"Mm, thank god for this invention," Sitron groaned.

"Didn't you wanna smoke?" Olaf wondered.

"Slushie over cigarette any day," Sitron said defiantly. "If you choose the latter over the former, then we can't be friends."

Elsa grinned. "Good to know you have your priorities straightened out."

Sitron sent her a thumbs up and toyed with his straw, humming pleasantly at the taste of Seven Up and cherry mixed together.

With the bus full of gas, they took off onto the highway once more. The group ended up playing a few rounds of Guitar Hero before it got tiring and Anna retreated to her bedroom to study, Elsa to her room to write, and the boys sinking into the couch to watch some television.

* * *

Not an hour later, the band arrived in Boise two days ahead of schedule, much to Elsa's pleasure. The sooner they get to the locations, she had said, the more time they can spend enjoying the scenery. Although Boise wasn't a huge tourist attraction, it was desirable for all five of the travelers— save for Oaken— to get on their feet and stretch their legs.

Instead of tagging along with the boys to go see some of the sights, Elsa and Anna headed into the amphitheater in which their concert would take place. They were walking along the auditorium of the theatre, Elsa trailing a finger along the plush seats as they strolled in a big space between VIP seating and general seating. The two paused in the middle of the room, watching as techies flew back and forth along the stage to get everything in place.

"It's weird to see it from this point of view," Elsa mused. "I just witness seas of faces all around here." She spread her arms out to her sides and made a circle, stopping when she was facing the roadie. "And every night I think to myself how lucky I am… not many people get to where I am now."

"That's true," Anna agreed.

Elsa dropped her arms and sent Anna her smirk. "What's with you? You seem a little off, if I may say so."

"I have… a lot on my mind," Anna said, shrugging and gazing out onto the empty pit, getting cleaned for the fans in two days time.

"Such as?" Elsa pressed, quirking her brow.

"…Nothing."

"It's clearly not nothing." The blonde rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. "Spill, kid. It can't be that bad."

"It's dumb," Anna mumbled.

The corners of Elsa's mouth twitched but she didn't voice whatever was on her train of thought. Anna glanced at her from out of the corner of her eye, fiddling with the question that was gnawing at her curiosity more and more with each passing moment. The punk seemed genuinely interested with whatever had Anna so pensive, leaning forward with anticipation.

"Okay… what I'm about to ask you… is personal, according to Olaf and Sitron," Anna said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "And when I ask it, please don't punch me or hate me. I'm sincerely curious."

"Shoot," Elsa said plainly, leaning back and nodding, giving her permission to ask.

"What's… what's with the gloves anyway?" Anna asked, immediately throwing her hands up in the air in front of her face, wincing and bracing herself for a storm of Elsa's shouts.

Instead, the punk snorted.

"Oh _that_?" Elsa said, grinning. "You wouldn't be the first to ask." She lifted one of her hands and held it up face length, giving it a wry smile. "But I can't tell you."

"Why not?" Anna demanded.

"'Cause it would ruin the whole show, kid." She flexed her fingers, her cat-like grin still plastered on her pale face. "Shatter the illusion of the band. Maybe I'll tell you one day but for now, it's my business and my business only. Understand?"

"I understand," Anna sighed. "I'm sorry I asked."

"Hey, it's no biggie," Elsa assured, resting one of her hands on Anna's shoulder. "Look, I'll show you I'm still cool with you and buy you a pretzel. You hungry?"

Anna offered her a thankful smile and they left the theatre together. And although she understood Elsa's words, her curiosity grew evermore. Something was being hidden beneath the leather and upon the pale hands of the rockstar and Anna wanted to know what it was if it was the last thing she did.

* * *

**I seriously love you all so much. I hope you're enjoying the story so far.**

**Fav/Follow/**_**Review**_

**See you next time!**


	8. Platinum Blonde Life

**Hey, good for you! A couple of you guessed it! Yes, so far all the chapter titles have been the titles of songs. The artists will be revealed at the end of the story if you ever want to make a playlist. It's for me to expose you all to several different artists and genres.**

**And for the Guest Frozen-Fun, don't you worry. Anna is going to push back in her own special way. I'm not really trying to pass her off as fangirl-y. She's simply trying to get along and be friendly with them. Sorry if that's what it looked to be. Her backbone will return soon, I promise.**

* * *

Other than the concerts, Anna found the trip to Boise rather uneventful. She did her usual duties behind the curtain, lugging equipment back and forth with techies, trying to reason with caterers without threatening them, and watching the show from the side stage.

She also discovered how similar the concerts seemed to be. The one sided conversations Elsa would hold with the crowd— save for their cheering replies— were always different, regarding whatever was on the punk's mind that evening. The line-up was the similarity of it all. Their covers grew repetitive in Anna's opinion. "Raise Your Glass" showed up each night they were in Boise. It was a crowd pleaser, no doubt about that, but it was almost as if the band was salvaging the energy before the end of the show. And every single one ended with "Let It Go."

Anna was starting to see why Kai was stressing Elsa so much about writing an original song. The performances were getting bone dry and Anna was starting to contemplate on leaving during the shows to get something to eat or hang out in their dressing room for some extra study time.

The final night of their Boise stop, Anna did just that. She made herself comfortable in the room with books and notepads spread out on the coffee table before her. Her iPod was in her ears so she didn't have to hear the repetitive music coming from the stage, turned up loud to the tune of musical soundtracks— a nice change of pace from the alternative and rock music— but as hard as she tried to block it out, the muffled noise from outside the door would leak through during the seconds-long song breaks.

Once she had wrapped up one of the chapters in her Sociology book, she removed her earbuds to heard the final chord of "Let It Go" being belted out by Elsa. With an appreciative smile, Anna decided to pocket her iPod and wait for the adrenaline fueled, sweaty, and grinning band to barge into the room.

She cleared up her stuff and set it alongside her bag she had brought with her to accompany her back to the bus, where she had intended on sleeping that evening before they had to truck off to Salem, Oregon.

After an earth shattering round of applause, the band came tumbling into the room, talking loudly and removing their ear plugs before tossing them onto the table. Elsa threw herself down on the couch next to Anna and tousled the redhead's bangs, only to have her leather clad hand pushed away. It didn't deter Elsa in the slightest, the punk merely laughing, bringing the rejected hand up to her lips to snort into it.

"You missed a great show," Elsa said a little louder than normal, her hearing shot a bit.

"It's… nothing I haven't seen before," Anna replied, shrugging.

"What? It's such a great performance!" Elsa protested, her brow hiking up into her hairline.

The fact she was patting herself on the back annoyed Anna but she didn't bother to point it out. All she did was shrug again and lean back in the cushion. She had to wait until they received the okay from Oaken so they could head out— the band to the after party and Anna to the bus.

"What's your deal?" Elsa demanded. "It's a free show, kid. Enjoy it while they last."

"A repetitive show," Anna mumbled.

The three boys who had been chatting idly by the mirror froze and whipped their heads towards the two girls sitting on the couch. Elsa was giving Anna the most curious expression. It was an odd cross between incredulous and possible offense. The ginger didn't seem to think her comment was out of place, which caused the band members to exchange anxious looks. How was Elsa going handle the bland and not so supportive comment?

"Repetitive?" Elsa repeated, her brows furrowing.

"Elsa, no offense, but you guys to the same thing almost every single show," Anna said, folding her arms across her chest. "I mean, you guys sound awesome, don't get me wrong, but… don't you think you could take a break from raising one's glass at least _one_ performance?" She leaned back in her seat and clicked her tongue. "But hey, if you want to continue the routine, that's fine. Your call. I just assumed that you'd want to spice it up a bit. But what do I know?" She looked Elsa directly in her icy eyes. "I'm not part of the band."

Not only did understanding dawn in Elsa's mind but the words Anna shot at her were sinking through like thick cream, seeping along the crevices of her brain. The boys held their breath, waiting to see Elsa's reaction and prepared to surge forward to protect Anna from any and all attacks. Anna continued to stare Elsa down, daring her to make a comment.

"You are absolutely right," Elsa stated, nodding once.

"Wait, what?" Anna gawked, her brows shooting upwards.

The breath the boys were holding was audible as they exhaled. Elsa sent Anna a grin and clapped her hard on the back.

"Good call, kid! You know I think it's time we add a few new songs to our repertoire." She got to her feet and faced her band mates. "Gentlemen— if you can ever live up to the name gentlemen— it's time to get down to business."

"Now?" Sitron asked weakly.

"Well… no, but we need to really surpass expectations," Elsa said, spreading her arms. "If our ickle, baby roadie thinks we need to spice things up, then we _must_ spice things up!"

"How do you propose we do that?" Olaf wondered, his brown eyes bugging out of his in childlike excitement. The new spark in Elsa's eyes was enthralling and he could tell she had a plan.

"A band meeting, all… _five_ of us," Elsa announced, turning to Anna and giving her that same smile she had released on the bus half a week ago.

Anna felt her heart flutter. Elsa had gotten the message that Anna was emotionally hurt by her comment regarding her status in the band. Now she was giving Anna that liberty and openly inviting her to meet with the rest of them, planning their next concert and being able to get a word in.

A gloved hand appeared in front of her, snapping her out of her appreciative thoughts. She followed the arm up to Elsa's face, that smile still plastered amongst the dusted freckles and pale skin.

"What say you, kid?" she asked softly. "How's about we skip the party tonight and head to my room so we can brainstorm?"

Unable to suppress a grin, Anna clapped her leather on top of Elsa's and allowed herself to be yanked to her feet.

"Sounds awesome," Anna agreed.

The three boys in the background all exchanged stupendous expressions, silently agreeing that Elsa's constant emotional change was truly giving them whiplash, like Marshmallow had stated a while back.

With all their things collected and a few autographs signed and many pictures taken, the band trekked over to their hotel and piled into Elsa's bedroom to begin their plan for the following concert in Salem, Oregon. That night, they gathered on Elsa's bed, ordered room service, and stayed up into the late hours of the evening, making list after list of fresh material for more concerts to come.

Around three in the morning, everyone was tapped out and exhausted. Olaf curled himself up into a little ball in one of the chairs by the window. Sitron had passed out on the floor with his packet of cigarettes sticking out of his pocket after his slump off of the bed he was pressed up against. Marshmallow took over the couch, snoring deeply in a somewhat soothing tone, as if he were a sleeping giant guarding his most precious treasures without fear a theif would come and take any.

Elsa and Anna were on the bed, lying parallel to each other, their feet on the pillows and their heads on the foot of the bed, blankets strewn in all different directions from an argument between Sitron and Anna over something no one could quite remember. Elsa was sleeping on her back, Anna on her side. In between the two were the mounds of paper they had used to write down new ideas— including some lyrics Anna had thrown Elsa's way for her new album.

That night Elsa knew she was never going to forget. She had reverted back to her roots of when she and the boys and planned out their first concert ever. They had holed themselves in Sitron's garage, eating pizza, and eventually knocking out in a pile on the rug. Perhaps, she had reasoned while she nodded off a bit earlier, it was good to go back to what she was familiar with. It could give her a chance to find that special spark in her career that got her here in the first place.

And Anna had actually been a stupendous help. The girl really knew how to go off on a tangent in her rambles but Elsa found them quite endearing. They would often lead to something inspiring on Elsa's part and she would write them down without Anna's knowledge. Now she had a notebook full of things Anna had said that night resting in the crook of her arm, hoping to insert them in an album sometime in the near future.

* * *

Back on the bus after a complimentary breakfast in the hotel, the band returned to their idle activities on their few hour drive to Salem. Elsa locked herself away in her bedroom to struggle with song lyrics, flipping haplessly through her notes from last night. Marshmallow was reading on one of the couches while Olaf and Sitron played one another on a video game. Anna was in her own bedroom doing what she had meant to do on the trip: study.

She had been procrastinating and she knew it. The dazzling lights of the stage and opportunity to hang out with a rock band was blinding her and she was slowly becoming exactly the way she was when she was in high school. A girl who wanted to goof around and have fun, hardly making any time for her work. Now that she was an adult, she had to focus on her education. And Elsa and Olaf and everyone else was a mere distraction. Getting caught up in spotlights wasn't Anna's thing and she wasn't going to restart.

Even during lunch where everybody made something from the fridge, all Anna did was pop a bag of popcorn and study in the booth, her friends kicking back on the couch to watch television.

An hour or so before they pulled into Salem, Anna decided to take a break from her books and sink into the couch beside Elsa as the rockstar watched some cartoon that Anna didn't catch the name of.

"Hey, kiddo," Elsa greeted. "How's the studying going?"

"Fine," Anna replied plainly. "How's the song writing going?"

"Stupid," Elsa grunted, clearly uninterested in talking about it.

"Isn't Kai gonna be pissed at you if you don't finish—?"

"I know, I know!" The punk rubbed her temple with creased brows. "Look, kid, can we talk about anything else? How about we talk about your… appearance?"

"Excuse me?" Anna exclaimed, high affronted. She smoothed down her red hair— still flying free out of its braids and falling gently down her back— and smoothed out invisible wrinkles on her jeans. "That was rude!"

"No— I meant as a punk!" Elsa assured, smirking. "You don't have any ink… or piercings. And that dumb college sweatshirt has got to go."

"I do too have piercings!" She pointed to her twin earrings in the shape of roses. "And I don't want a tattoo nor do I want to get rid of my sweatshirt!"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Fine. But I'm gonna up your look anyway." Anna was about to protest but Elsa cut her off. "Just trust me, kid! Simple beginnings. Understand?"

"What did you have in mind?" Anna sighed, deciding to humor the punk.

It was clear Elsa wasn't going to give up on this pursuit. But if things got out of hand, Anna thought, she was going to put her foot down.

"Don't worry about it," Elsa said, the wheels in her head turning maliciously.

"I think I should worry about it," Anna countered.

"Don't you trust me?"

"No!"

Elsa burst out laughing. "Good call! But can you please give me a chance?" She recovered from her bouts of giggling and leaned into the cushion behind her. "You're the one who said you want to be friends with me, right? Consider this a… bonding moment."

Anna pursed her lips in what was the most adorable pout Elsa had ever seen. She flashed the ginger her cheshire-cat grin, earning an impressive eye roll from the roadie.

"_Fine_. But if it has anything to do with sex shops or strippers or something, I'm out," Anna said seriously.

"You seriously have some misguided opinions about me, darling," Elsa chirped.

* * *

They reached Salem and hour later, Anna tying up her laces on her Docs, ready to follow Elsa out and into the town to do whatever Elsa had planned for her. The boys had headed out already on their own, Oaken talking to a few techies before he started unloading the bus. Once Anna stepped out, she found an impatient Elsa waiting for her, arms folded across her chest and her combat boots tapping on the pavement.

"Took you long enough," Elsa said, clapping Anna on the back and shoving her forward gently. "Let's go, kid. I wanna get this done before dinnertime."

"You still haven't told me anything about what you want me to do," Anna pointed out.

"It's a surprise. First things first…" Elsa trailed off and a wicked gleam sparkled in her icy eyes as they entered deep into the city.

They were silent as Elsa searched through her phone, looking for the perfect location to begin her little escapade with the roadie. The last thing she wanted was to give Anna an experience that was distasteful or unsafe. Anna was basically her responsibility. Then again, she didn't want any harm to come to her in the first place.

When she found the place with the most stars and the best reviews, she got directions and started to drag Anna where her phone told her to go.

"Now… if you go through with this, I'll buy you a reward," Elsa told her, her gloved hand gripping on Anna's torn at the sleeves jean jacket she had purchased on her shopping spree with Olaf, her olive green cut off beneath it.

"I'm really getting a bad vibe from you," the redhead said wearily.

"I told you to _trust_ me," Elsa said, rolling her eyes. "You're gonna be fine in my hands."

"Why do I doubt that?" Anna grumbled.

Elsa pulled them to a stop on a street corner and faced Anna, staring at her dead in the eyes.

"Kid, listen to me," Elsa said lowly. "I don't understand why you're making these preconceived notions about the kind of person I am. But I promise you that I wouldn't dare let anything bad happen to you. Nothing life threatening, nothing that can put you in any serious danger. Understand?"

"Elsa, you're the most difficult person to read in my lifetime," Anna replied hotly. "You have so many changes in moods, it's hard for me to tell which one is the real Elsa… if there is one beneath all those façades."

The corners of Elsa's mouth twitched but Anna couldn't tell if they were meant to be for a smile or frown. Instead, the punk leaned back and crossed her arms, observing Anna in a similar way she had before she gave Anna that genuine smile a week or so ago. Trying to figure Anna out… just as Anna was struggling to do with her.

"Okay, how about this?" Elsa proposed. "Just for this one day, trust me and let me be your friend." She extended her leather clad hand out to Anna. "Don't think of me as Elsa the rockstar. Think of me as Elsa your pal." She sent Anna a crooked smile. "Sound good?"

The ginger's teal eyes darted from Elsa's hand and up into her pale face. She scrunched her brows and bit her lip.

"Alright," she sighed, her hand clasping with Elsa's in what Anna defined as a "bro" handshake, the sound of leather meeting leather filling the cloudy Oregon air.

"Awesome!" Elsa beamed. "C'mon! We're almost there!"

"Where is there?" Anna demanded, her hand still in Elsa's and being yanked forward against her will, her feet tripping over themselves.

But Elsa was taciturn, making all sorts of turns down streets and bolting through crosswalks. Several people did recognize her but didn't dare stop her from her pursuit, weaving in and out of crowds.

Finally the girls came to a halt, Anna panting from having to keep up with the enthusiastic punk. Elsa released her hand and grinned up at the sign hanging over the shop before them, the roadie pressed her hands to her knees, hunched over, and trying to catch her breath.

"O… okay," Anna wheezed, lifting her head to stare at the sign. "Mad T Party Tattoos and Piercings," she read aloud. "Oh… oh _no_ I told you I am _not_ getting a—"

"Not a tattoo, kid!" Elsa said, opening the door and guiding Anna inside. "A piercing. A _proper_ piercing. Like mine." She tapped the cartilage piercing on her left ear.

"One of _those_!?" Anna exclaimed. "Those are supposed to hurt like a bitch!"

Elsa cracked up. "Yeah, I know. But hear me out. It'll look good on you! And I'm paying for it so you don't have to worry. I know how to care for them and I'll be right here to hold your delicate hand when they do it."

"I hate you so much right now," Anna growled.

"I know," Elsa said. "But you get something out of it. A new piercing and a reward."

"What is it?" Anna wondered.

"That's a surprise."

Her eyes scanned the moderately busy parlor until she caught the eye of one of the free employees. She was blonde and blue eyed, one entire arm smothered with tattoos. They spied a few images standing out such as a man and rabbit drinking tea, another rabbit rushing through a hole with an oversized pocket watch, and a caterpillar smoking with the name _Alice_ spelled out in the smoke above his head.

The girl was dressed in a peculiar outfit; a blue dress with ruffles and frills at the hem, and torn black stockings. Along the frills were things that said "drink me" or "eat me." One hand was covered in a fish-net material glove, the other exposed and bare. In her curly blonde hair was a place head band, the tendrils of her locks tumbling along her shoulders and down her back. Her heels were a blood red and clunky but absolutely gorgeous, her legs crossed and her left foot bouncing in the air.

Noticing she had costumers, she got up from her seat and strode over to them, speaking in the sweetest voice they had ever heard come from someone so heavily set in the punk movement.

"You… you're _Elsa_ aren't you?" she whispered so others around her wouldn't hear.

"That's right," Elsa grinned. "And I need your assistance today, love."

"Then how may I help you?" she asked politely, giving them a smile that made her eyes crinkle.

"Uh… my friend Anna here is getting a cartilage piercing," Elsa said, grabbing Anna by the shoulders and maneuvering her so she was standing in front of the girl, the counter in between them. "She's of legal age and I'm paying for her appointment." She rested her chin on Anna's shoulder with a stupid grin on her face, only to have it get shaken off by a very irritated ginger. "Sound good?"

"Sounds great," the girl said, winking at Anna. "My name is Alice, by the way… let's see." She ducked underneath the counter and grabbed the liability waivers. "Just sign those while I get everything prepped." Alice smiled once again before bounding over to her station.

"I really, really hate you," Anna groaned, reaching over to snatch a pen and sign the papers before her. She saw there was no way she was getting out of this one.

All Elsa did was snort into her fist, giddy at the fact she was actually going to witness Anna do something like this. After Anna filled everything out, she walked over to Alice and sank into the chair at her station, Elsa taking a seat on her other side. Anna wanted to prove to Elsa she was willing to go the distance and do something out of her comfort zone. She wasn't some innocent, dumb, naive little college student Elsa picked out of a crowd. She was Anna, a roadie to the most popular punk band and dammit she was going to look like one!

Alice started humming a tune under her breath as she sterilized Anna's right ear. The redhead found herself shaking and her old self started to creep through. The old self that was actually a scared nineteen-year-old girl. Elsa started to feel guilty and leaned close to Anna, her icy eyes full of concern.

"Hey, if you're really against this… you can just say the word," Elsa told her.

"No… I want to do this," Anna said. "No backing out now." She grit her teeth, her face set in determination. "I'll get the damn piercing and get whatever reward you have in mind."

Elsa smirked. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, you're a fucking trooper."

"Alright, I'm all prepared," Alice said, marking the spot in which she would pierce Anna's cartilage. "You ready?"

Anna extended her hand to Elsa and the punk grasped it, giving it a supportive squeeze. With a nod, the ginger screwed her eyes shut and took in a deep breath, feeling the gun loom over her right ear.

"Now this is a gun that's… newer," Alice warned her. "It's to ensure that the cartilage won't break when its pierced."

"Okay," Anna whimpered.

"On the count of three," Alice said supportingly. "One… two… three!"

_Ka-chunk!_

Anna let out the loudest scream and clamped a hand over her mouth, tears flowing and her ear throbbing with the most searing amount of pain she had ever experiences. With muffled swears being shouted into her palm, she tightened her hold on Elsa's hand, only to have her squeeze back with as much force as she could.

"F-fuck!" Anna wailed.

"You did it!" Elsa praised. "Anna, you did it!"

Alice smiled to herself and placed the gun back onto the table, grabbing a few cleaning supplies to give to the girls so Anna could care for her new piercing. The poor roadie was still whimpering, trying to hold back on the urge to touch the half-hoop ring that was now sunk into her skin.

"I'm proud of you," Elsa chuckled, brushing a few stray hairs out of Anna's face, feeling the girl's trembling skin as her exposed fingers brushed over her forehead. "Wait 'til the guys see this."

Anna let out a shaky giggle, taking shallow gulps of air, trying to calm herself down.

"Now, you can't sleep on your right side for a while," Alice instructed. "Clean it everyday to avoid infection, swelling, and other things that aren't exactly pleasant." She handed Elsa a bag of antibacterial soap. "Since you have one yourself, I assume you'll be of great assistance for your friend."

"Of course," Elsa said with a nod. "Now about the payment. Shall we do it at the counter?"

"Yes, that would be best," Alice agreed, rising to her feet. She patted Anna on the shoulder, smiling genially. "Good job, Anna. You did very well."

"Th-thanks," Anna croaked.

With one final squeeze on Anna's hand, Elsa followed Alice over and they began the transaction. Anna let out a shuddering breath and slumped into the leather exterior of the chair, still quivering with pain. Her ear was thrumming from the shock of the gun that had attacked her cartilage like a hole punch on a flimsy piece of paper. Her hands gripped the arm rests and she opened her eyes to stare at herself in the mirror in front of her.

Tenderly, she brushed her hair behind her ear to get a better view of it. It was silver, like Elsa's, and was sparkling gently in the lights above her. Her ear was an angry red from being practically shot and it still felt as if someone was tugging hard at it.

"First cartilage piercing?" a voice asked.

She hadn't noticed a tall man with stringy, long, red hair hidden underneath a rather large, green hat with sunglasses on them appear at her side. His jacket was a neon purple and he had a scarf decked out in multicolored dots. His shirt said "we're all mad here" and his belt— holding up a pair of red and black stripped pants— had a teapot on the buckle. He also wore fingerless gloves but not the kind Elsa did. They were red and reached the top of his wrist instead of continuing down to the bottom.

"Uh, yeah," Anna nodded.

"I think you did well," he complimented, sitting in Alice's empty seat. "I had a costumer the other day scream so many profanities, it was embarrassing. You only said fuck so I think that's a big win."

Anna smiled at him. "Thanks… I kinda got to watch my language, though. I usually don't like to swear."

"Swearing's been proven to ease pain, did you know that?" he asked, grinning at her and showing his teeth that were slightly stained from what Anna assumed was tea drinking.

"I did not," Anna admitted.

"Well, it does," he said. "So you should swear more often."

She giggled. "I'll do my best, if it would please you."

"It would," he chuckled. His eyes flickered onto Elsa for a moment and he leaned forward. "You… you know Elsa?"

"Oh… yeah, I do," she confirmed. "You a fan of Dry Ice?"

"Big fan," he said giddily. "I'm seeing them tomorrow night with Alice. How'd you get to know her?"

"I'm a roadie," she told him. "I'm a newer one but I basically work for Elsa."

"That's fucking amazing," he said. "I used to be in a band with everyone here. Named the store after it. We never really made it but we were popular in high school."

"You were the Mad T Party? I think I have one of your EPs. You guys were a cover band, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh my gosh I wondered what happened to you guys!" Anna squealed. "My cousin and I heard about you on the radio when I was in middle school! You're the Mad Hatter, aren't you!?"

"That's right!" he said.

"Oh wow… This is awesome," she sighed.

"Don't you think you should be fan girling over Dry Ice now?" he grinned.

"I have… mixed feeling about them, to be honest. They got to be too big and it seemed I would be just jumping onto the bandwagon."

"I see. Well, I wish you nothing but luck and good graces. A lot of people would kill to be in your shoes."

"Let's go, kid!" Elsa called from the front.

Anna sent him a thankful smile and strode over to Elsa, thanking Alice, and following the punk out into the Salem air.

"Alright, next stop is the mall. I'll be getting you what you deserve for being such a trooper," Elsa praised.

* * *

In celebration of Anna getting her cartilage pierced, Elsa brought her to a little retail store and purchased a brown jacket that the collar could be popped up much like Elsa's black jacket did.

"It's to replace the sweatshirt. You don't have to get rid of it but god forbid you wear that thing near me again," Elsa teased, shoving the new clothes into Anna's arms.

After that, Elsa bought the both of them ice cream and they sat on a bench to people watch, eating their frozen treats silently. Anna was focusing all of her attention onto her ice cream, praying that some of the chilliness of it would reach her ear somehow.

"I have a really weird question," Elsa piped up.

"What's that?" Anna replied.

"Well… Sitron had asked me this a while ago and… It's kinda funny."

"Shoot."

"What song would you have sex to?"

Anna snorted into her ice cream, making Elsa laugh and shake her head. When the ginger recovered from her fit of giggles, she responded.

"Uh, well, I haven't really given it any thought," she said, shrugging.

"Okay. Hypothetically if you were to have sex right _now_ and you had to pick a song, which would you pick?" Elsa said.

"In that case… I suppose I've always found the song 'Sex On Fire' by Kings of Leon pretty good."

Elsa laughed into her fist. "You _do_ know that song is about STDs, right?"

"No, it's not!" Anna protested.

"Yes, it is!" Elsa retorted.

"You're lying!"

"Look it up!"

Anna pointed and glared at the snickering punk beside her. Elsa let out an uncharacteristic giggle, taking a lick of her ice cream.

"Well, that's _your_ interpretation," Anna said stubbornly. "What was your response? What song would you have sex to?"

"'Do I Wanna Know' by Arctic Monkeys," Elsa said automatically.

"Good pick," Anna approved, finishing off her treat, sucking the excess cone that was left on her fingertips. "Should we head back to the bus?"

"Yup," Elsa nodded, standing and following Anna out of the mall. "All in all, would you say that this was a good experience?"

"Sure. It was nice to know one Elsa," Anna teased. "Or at least spend the day with her."

"She's not an open book," Elsa said wisely.

"I'll get there," Anna said. "Chapter by chapter."

* * *

**So someone did an awesome YouTube video of Let It Go with Demi's music but Idina's voice and the first thing I thought of was PUNK ELSA! So go check that out! It's beautiful!**

**Also, I'm stupid and I realize I've put cartridge piercing in some chapters instead of cartilage but I did my best to fix them. If you catch anymore, let me know. Thank you.**

**Mad T Party shout out. If you haven't seen them, they play at California Adventure and are amazing! Basically a punk version of Alice in Wonderland characters as I tried to explain above.**

**Fav/Follow/**_**Review**_

**See you next time!**


	9. Caves of Ice

**This is late because I'm a fucking procrastinator.**

**I apologize.**

* * *

"Ow!"

"It won't hurt as bad if you stop fidgeting, kid. Sit _still_."

"You're jamming it into the hole!"

"No, I'm not. You're being a whiney, over dramatic little shit."

Anna pouted and glared at Elsa, who was a few inches below her as the roadie was sitting atop the kitchen counter beside the sink. The special ear piercing liquid bottle was open and a Q-tip was in Elsa's gloved grip, the punk trying to clean Anna's new cartilage piercing to avoid any unpleasantries that Alice had warned them to watch out for.

With as much gentle force as she could, Elsa swabbed the cotton along the area where the metal and the skin met, dabbing it with the antibacterial serum. Anna was making it quite the challenge to clean it, however, because she kept squirming and making little, terrified squeaks. It was somewhat cute at the beginning but now it was starting to get on Elsa's nerves.

They had returned to the bus after they finished their ice cream to find the boys back inside, talking amongst themselves. Since their concert was the following evening, they hadn't checked into their hotels just yet and were planning on crashing in the bus for the night. When the boys caught sight of Anna's new piercing, they went ballistic. They demanded why Elsa didn't take them along to see it happen, pelted Anna with questions, and then offered all sorts of piercing cleaning advice until Elsa told them to back off before she "ripped their dicks off and feed them to a stray dog," which made Anna crack up laughing until she had to sit down in order to support herself on her own two feet.

But now it was time to clean the piercing due to Anna's complaining and fretting that she was going to get an infection even after Elsa showed her some of the pamphlets regarding the care of cartilage piercings she had picked up on the way out.

Anna refused to touch it and allowed the one girl there who had experience in cleaning one take care of the first week of maintenance.

"You're a big fucking baby," Elsa mumbled, dabbing a little more of the liquid onto the Q-tip. "When you got the thing you hardly wiggled around like this. Now you're acting as if this were the most painful thing you've ever had to go through."

"It stings," Anna grunted.

"Yeah, it's gonna do that," Elsa said, rolling her eyes.

Anna sent a kick into Elsa's thigh. Elsa shot her a warning look, her brows raising like some big sister about to tell off her younger sibling.

"Do that again and I might rip out the damn thing on my own," Elsa said darkly.

"You wouldn't."

"Wanna bet?"

Their eyes clashed dangerously for five seconds before Anna submitted, biting her lip and allowing Elsa to continue her cleaning. Olaf appeared at Anna's side and leaned his back on the edge of the counter, gazing critically at the roadie's piercing.

"Nice, clean job," he approved. "How bad did it hurt?"

"I screamed a little but… It wasn't too awful," Anna said, very aware and very distracted of the physical contact Elsa's gloved hand was making with her arm to keep her steady, her fingers on the other hand working the Q-tip smoothly around the metal.

"She was great," Elsa complimented. "At least her scream was dignified. Unlike Sitron's when he got his nose pierced. He screamed so high pitched, I swear I went deaf for at least five minutes."

"Fuck you," Sitron barked from his bunk, scowling heavily.

"I don't understand how _that_ hurt so much," Olaf said, giggling.

"We're all different beings," whined the bassist, returning his eyes to his magazine. "People react to things in their own special way."

"Okay, you're all done," Elsa said, removing the swab and tossing it into the trash bin. "See? That wasn't so bad."

"Thanks, Els," Anna said, tenderly touching her smarting ear.

"Whoa, hey, not so fast with the nickname, kid," Elsa said. "'Els' is reserved for best friends only."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Right. How could I have forgotten that we're tentative buds or whatever you said." She hopped off the counter and entered her room, shutting it behind her to get a start on her studying for the night.

"You're not really nice to Anna," Olaf observed, raising his pierced brow at Elsa.

"We're trying our best," Elsa shrugged indifferently, closing the top of the cleaning liquid and stuck it back into the bathroom. She flopped down onto one of the couches, Olaf joining her shortly afterward.

"Look, all I'm saying is that you should cut her some slack," Olaf suggested. "It's just… your mood swings and your constant change in attitude towards her are really tough to follow. I can tell Anna's getting super frustrated with you."

"That happens to me a lot," she reminded him.

"God, you're seriously putting those walls up high," Olaf sighed, rubbing his temple. "I'm giving up. That's it. Bro, toss me a Coke. I need to drink away my problems called Elsa."

Elsa rolled her eyes and flipped the guitarist off as Marshmallow handed him a cool can of Coke from the mini fridge. Sitron snickered, silently agreeing with Olaf. Everyone there knew that Elsa was too afraid to allow another friend into her life. Anna was testing the waters only to be shot down almost immediately afterward. It wasn't her fault, of course. Elsa was just being Elsa… as usual.

They all just wished she'd allow Anna in more so they could get on with the tour without the two of them bickering over every little thing. Not a few days earlier, they had been fighting backstage over something that Anna had allegedly done incorrectly. It was a mess until Oaken stepped in and lead Elsa away while Olaf tried to ease the seething roadie.

And then the following day, they were acting like friends and sharing a bowl of popcorn as they watched some daytime TV movie in the bus.

It just didn't make any sense.

"Can't you just be yourself around her?" Olaf wondered, taking a swig of his drink.

"That's the problem," Elsa found herself saying. "I don't know who that is anymore…"

Olaf paused his drinking, Marshmallow stared at Elsa from the booth, and Sitron stuck his head out of his bunk. This was the first time in a long time they were seeing the raw, emotional side of Elsa.

"I don't have many friends, do I?" Elsa went on. "Except you guys."

"You have friends!" Olaf protested.

"Name one that's not in the band," she drilled, sending him a rather reproachful look.

The guitarist opened and closed his mouth several times, each time getting more and more discouraged that he couldn't find a friend to be named off of the top of his head. Marshmallow perked up and tried to come up with a friend.

"How about… your most recent girlfriend?" he offered.

Elsa let out a bark of sarcastic laughter. "She won't even look at me anymore. Hardly spit in my direction."

The boys all exchanged saddened looks. It was very true. Elsa didn't have any friends outside the band. No wonder it was so hard for her to open up to Anna.

"Well, whatever," Elsa scoffed, crossing her legs. "I had a few ideas to run by you guys. For a lyric, what do you think of…"

* * *

Anna was fiddling with Elsa's handless microphone, taping it onto the punk's pale skin an hour before showtime, her eyes squinting as she attempted to brush away the light hair that constantly stuck to the sticky side of the tape.

"You done?" Elsa asked impatiently.

"No… hold up," Anna fussed. "This is the first time you're doing a show with this?"

"It's an experiment," Elsa shrugged, examining her nails critically. "It might be nice to use my hands a little more often for the end of 'Let It Go.' Y'know, when I point out to the crowd—"

"And the snow falls yeah, yeah," Anna mumbled.

Elsa smirked. "You really do know this show inside and out now, don'tcha?"

"Yup. Or, at least the finale," Anna said, finally taping the damn wire to Elsa's skin. "There we go." She started walking with Elsa down the hallway, watching as the punk took several swigs of her water, towards the main backstage area. "So, what's the plan for after the show? Another after party?"

"Yeah. As usual," Elsa said. "It's becoming lackluster, I know."

"Can't we do something else?"

"You can if you want. But I'd like to get my fill of stranger kisses tonight."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Of course you do. I don't understand something, though. You just make out with them until you're too tired to do it anymore?"

"Eh… not exactly. It's just for the thrill of getting so close to having sex but you never go through with it."

"Living on the edge?"

"If you _have_ to put it that way."

"Aren't there drugs for that?"

"This may be a shock to you, kid, but I don't do drugs. Personal reasons and my body isn't exactly welcoming to things like weed or shit like that." She stuck a finger towards her mouth and made a face. "The outcome ain't pretty. I felt bad for whoever had to clean up that toilet after my stomach got through with it."

"Gross!" Anna complained, clamping her hands over her ears… only to have her right ear experience a shooting pain. "Awh, fuck! My piercing!"

"Yeah, be careful," Elsa laughed. "And watch your fucking language."

"Hardy har har," Anna pouted. "Can you clean it when you get back to the hotel room?"

"I'll be too drunk to do otherwise, kid," Elsa said. "I showed you how to do it. It's not that hard."

"I know…" Anna sighed and stuck her hands in her pockets. "I'll be a big girl and do it myself."

"And anyway, you and I aren't sharing a room this time around," Elsa reminded her.

"Oh, right."

"Elsa! Someone is here to see you!" Olaf called as the girls entered backstage.

"Who and why should I care?" Elsa said lazily, sauntering over to him.

"It's…" He leaned close and hissed something in her ear that Anna didn't pick up.

But almost immediately after he pulled back, her face darkened and her teeth bared with fury.

"Why is he here?" she demanded.

"Hans sent him I think," Olaf squeaked. "Don't kill the messenger, Els."

"Who did Hans send?" Anna piped up.

"One of his asinine brothers," Elsa spat. "Fucking moron. What, did he think I was gonna sign them back on as our amp sponsors again?"

"I don't know," Olaf said helplessly, shaking his head.

"Let me talk to him," Anna said.

"Wha— No! Kid, this isn't your jurisdiction," Olaf said, his eyes switching from Elsa to Anna and back again.

"I don't care. I dated Hans and so I knew his brothers. Let me see if I can't get him to leave."

"Anna…" Elsa began but trailed off when the redhead marched over to the area where Olaf came from.

The roadie found Oaken glowering over one of the many brothers Hans had, the big guy folding his arms across his broad chest. This particular brother was one of the decent boys of the bunch, one that Anna actually was going to miss when she cut off ties with Hans after his cheating incident. His name was Anders and he had that same, fluffy red hair that his youngest brother did, thick glasses, and always wore something snappy when he went out.

"Oaken," Anna said, approaching them, "I got this."

The security guard backed down and lumbered over to a safe distance to keep an eye on the precious roadie as she stood before the newcomer.

"Anna!?" Anders gasped. "What in the world are you doing here?"

"I work for the band," Anna said shortly. "Is there something I can help you with? You being here is stressing Elsa out."

"I came as a representative for the amps—"

"Save it," Anna said, holding up a hand. "We're not taking you guys back."

"Not quite like that," he rushed. "Hans is out for some… stupid vengeance."

Anna lowered her hand and her brow creased. "How do you mean?"

"He's really angry that Elsa fired him without good reason," Anders said, twisting his hands together. "So he wants to ensure that her career is over before it really begins."

"And how does he intend to do that?" she wondered, worry crossing her features.

"I'm not sure. He didn't say. But I came to warn you and to say that this is _not_ our doing whatsoever." He ran a hand through his hair. "You know how he can get. Just warn Elsa, please. And tell her that father has nothing to do with this therefore we can avoid a lawsuit if something bad were to happen with Hans' fingerprints all over it."

"Will do," Anna said. "Thank you, Anders."

He sent her a thin smile before heading out, scurrying out of sight. Anna furrowed her brows and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, turning on her heel and meeting up with an expectant Olaf and an impatient Elsa.

"Well?" Elsa said hurriedly.

"It was Anders… I don't know if you know him well but…" Anna fiddled with the sleeve of the jacket Elsa had bought her. "He said that whatever scheme Hans pulls has nothing to do with the amp company."

"Wait, what?" Olaf said, his eyebrows raising.

"Hans is angry at Elsa for firing him so he's seeking revenge," Anna announced quietly.

"You've got to be fucking joking," Elsa said.

She shook her head. "No. Not joking."

"Fucking brilliant," the blonde moaned, running a gloved hand over her face in agony. "Now I have to worry about Hans trying to sabotage my shows!"

"Don't _you_ worry about it," Anna said forcefully. "I'll get Oaken to alert the theatre security and keep an eye out for anyone who looks like Hans. I'll make sure the crew members around the backstage area don't let Hans in." She looked Elsa in the eye. "It's _my_ job to worry for you. Now do your singing warm ups in the back while I handle the Hans situation."

Elsa stared at Anna in awe before nodding, dropping her icy eyes to the ground and leading herself to the dressing room where she could practice in peace.

Thankfully, the show went smoothly without a catastrophe caused by Anna's stupid ex-boyfriend. She had hoped Anders' warning was one of good graces. A "just in case" kind of message if Hans planned to go through with any of his schemes.

The Salem trip continued on as any normal stop would: the concert, the after party, and then waking up with a headache and regret. Although, Anna has attended the first night's after party and hung out with Alice and the "Mad Hatter" until they decided to go out with friends to have some fun with a few little "candies" Anna was pretty sure weren't actually candies.

That's when she exited the party and crashed on her hotel bed.

* * *

On the final day, Elsa decided it was time for a workout, heading down to the gym early in the morning. So she and the boys scoped out an area where they could do their exercises in peace, Oaken keeping a lookout for any fans who spotted the band and wanted pictures or autographs.

Anna was grateful for the chance to go to the gym to work away the disgusting amount of junk food she and the band had been indulging on for several days. While the three boys went over to the heavy weights, Elsa and Anna stuck around together by the cardio machines, Elsa running at an easy pace on the treadmill while Anna did some stretches in front of her.

"This is fantastic," Anna moaned pleasantly, bending down and touching her toes, her back arching with ease. "I really needed this."

"Glad you're getting your fill, kid," Elsa chuckled breathlessly, reaching over and turning up the speed by two. "In a while, I need you to help me out when I practice my punches on the punching bag." She stuck a gloved finger over to a red bag dangling by a chain nearby.

"You do that stuff?" Anna wondered, returning to a standing position vertebrae by vertebrae.

"I used to do martial arts in middle school but my mom made me quit," Elsa explained. "Now hold on a second, I can't talk and run at the same time."

"Oh, right, sorry," Anna said, finally coming to a full stand, twisting her arms in an attempt to further crack her back.

Even while she worked out, Elsa still wore her gloves. It _must_ have been sweaty in that leather. Even the boys had removed their gloves to get a firmer grip on the metal weights, yelling at one another to gain one more number in their lifting. They were all rather fit— Marshmallow a little more pudgy than the other two— and Elsa, of course, had a perfect rockstar body. Her hips swayed even as she ran along the treadmill, her forehead shining with sweat.

Anna found herself staring. She couldn't help herself. Even though Elsa got on her nerves more than any person on the planet, she was incredibly attractive and her body was _right there_ in all its glory, her midriff exposed by her sports bra, leggings hugging her curves perfectly.

"Hey, Anna, if you want to stare, there's a fee," Elsa teased, smirking down at the roadie.

Anna flushed and rolled her eyes, tearing her gaze from the glorious body of the rockstar.

"You wish," Anna snarled, marching over to one of the stationary bikes.

"Have you fallen for me yet, Baby?" Elsa called after her, laughing.

"Keep laughing, punk, and run outta breath. Maybe you'll stop talking for a while," Anna said over her shoulder. "It'll do a lot of us some good."

Elsa grinned but flipped Anna off, shaking her head.

After the girls finished their cardio and the boys went off for a sauna break, Elsa and Anna went over to the punching bag where Elsa made Anna shut her eyes as she taped up her bare hands, Oaken standing over Elsa like a guardian so nobody could see what she was hiding behind the leather. Once her hands were covered, Anna watched as Elsa started to ram her fists repeatedly into the exterior of the bag, her brows furrowed and braid swishing behind her.

"So… I have to know… Olaf said you weren't the Elsa I know now back in high school," Anna commented, her eyes fixed on the bag as it was smacked hard by the rockstar. "Is that true? What were you like?"

Elsa sent her a crooked smile. "Well, it's a little bit of history that nobody ever believes."

"I'm curious."

"Would you believe me if I told you I used to wear collared shirts, ironed gingham skirts, and glasses?"

Anna gaped. "No… I don't think I would."

"Told you."

"But you really did!?"

"Yup. I used to be quite the goody-two-shoes. My hair held in place with a headband, books in my arms, and my hand in the air during class with all the right answers. I was a smart son of a bitch."

"Then how did that become… this?" Anna gestured to the blonde in front of her, completely shocked at the image of a conservative fourteen-year-old Elsa that danced in her head.

Elsa stayed silent for a few seconds, remembering what Olaf has said about her walls being up high. Since Anna was a genuinely curious girl, Elsa thought there was no real harm in letting her in on an edited version of her backstory. So she took a deep breath and dove in, choosing her words carefully.

"I was a normal kid for a while, I suppose. I lived with two loving parents up until I was eight-years-old. My dad wasn't exactly a master at holding down jobs and barely made ends meet. I never worried, though. But my mom was getting frustrated and decided to leave my dad, taking me with her to my grandmother's house." She landed a hard punch into the bag, sending it swinging on its chain for a few seconds before it came to a halt. "I hated my mother for that." Elsa started punching the bag again, her eyes narrowing with concentration. "Growing up, I stuck with my normal etiquette. I was a good girl who did her homework and dressed properly. I wasn't stupid; I'm actually quite brilliant at math, if I may say so."

She made a few hard blows into the middle, Anna raising her brows at her, urging her to continue. Elsa paused for a minute, took a swig of water, and then went back to hitting her target.

"But when I was twelve, I got a No Doubt CD for my birthday. My father had sent it to me from wherever he was living and, in the card, told me I might like their music. It was one of their early ones… Rock Steady." She smiled wistfully, ignoring a bead of sweat as it rolled down her cheek. "My favorite album was in my hands and I didn't even know it yet. So that night, I listened to it in its entirety and fell _in love_ with their music, dreaming of being able to make someone feel as good as I did when I listened to them. So I asked my mother for singing lessons and music lessons.

"But she said no."

Anna gasped. "You're kidding!"

"Nope. She said it was pointless and that I should be focusing on my academics instead. Mind you, I had my nose so hard to the fucking grindstone that I hardly had any friends to count on my fingers." Elsa sent another hard punch into the bag, grinding her teeth. "And I was livid. So that's where my rebellious phase picked up. I saved up money for contacts on my own, snuck away with my CD— which my mom tried to take from me— and listened to it on my ancient Walk-Man on the roof of the garage, and started to add a few dark shades to my wardrobe.

"By that time, I was nearing high school. As a freshman, I ran into Olaf and he was a part of the band, a guitarist in the symphonic section or something. I can't really remember. He was my first friend who really understood my passion for music. And by then, I had listened to all sorts of ska, punk, rock, alternative, and other kinds of music to fuel my need to be just like them. His parents were professional musicians at the time and they gave me free music lessons, while I lied to my mom and told her I was attending a study group."

"So you just went punk like that?" Anna asked, snapping her fingers in example.

"Oh, not at all. I kept my good girl façade up and finished high school with top marks, graduating with honors. Mom thought it was a phase when I got my cartilage piercings and ear cuffs." Elsa cackled, sending a few good blows up and down the bag. "That was just the beginning. I decided to not go to college and I traveled around with a band as a roadie for a while… for like… a good four months." She trailed off and stopped punching, cracking her knuckles absentmindedly. "Then I came back and suggested to start a band with the boys, who by that time were my best and only friends. We were a garage band for a while until I wrote my first song, 'Let It Go' and submitted it to a potential manager, who is now Kai."

"It took you about four years to get started?" Anna said.

"Well, we needed sponsors before we got big. We played as an opening band for a while before 'Let It Go' got big." Elsa bent down and grabbed her towel, wiping off the sweat on her arms and face. "Then Kai decided it was time to make it a hit. We got Hans' family to sponsor us a year or so ago and then we released 'Let It Go' to the public. We just didn't realize it would be a big deal."

"So this is your first official tour," Anna said, nodding to herself. "You got quite the history, Elsa. I'm pleasantly surprised."

Elsa smirked. "Thanks, kiddo."

Anna was quiet for a moment as Elsa made her turn around so she could put her gloves back on. It was then Anna realized how awful she had been to Elsa about education. She had made several comments about how Elsa wasn't in school like Anna was and how she assumed Elsa was just a stereotypical drop-out. But Elsa was going after her passion of music because of the way it made her feel. Her reasoning for not going to college were something Anna could understand.

"Elsa, I'm sorry," Anna whispered as she turned back around at the punk's instruction.

"Sorry about what?" Elsa replied, hitching her gym bag over her shoulder.

"I… I didn't know you graduated high school. I assumed you dropped out," Anna said, her teal eyes falling onto the ground in shame.

Elsa laughed, clapping a leather hand onto Anna's shoulder, steering the girl out with her into the cool Salem air.

"I'm actually much smarter than I let on. You know, I actually speak fluent French," Elsa informed her, her eyes glinting in the weak sunlight where the boys were waiting, fresh out of their sauna sessions.

"You do _not_," Anna said in disbelief.

Elsa leaned close and pressed her cool lips against the shell of Anna's left ear, smirking against the skin. Goosebumps shot up Anna's arms and a shiver made its way up her back as Elsa hissed seductively in Anna's ear.

"_Oui je jeux, mon amie_ (yes I can, my friend)," she breathed coolly.

Anna blushed and jumped back, staring wide eyed at a giggling Elsa.

"Why do I feel so violated?" Anna groaned, rubbing her ear. "You said something dirty, didn't you?"

"Oh, Anna, you really _do_ have preconceived notions about me," Elsa chuckled.

As they made their way back to the hotel, Elsa realized how much she had let out to Anna, revealing to her the past that seemed like a silly backstory in some fashion magazine. Yes, it was edited to the best of her ability, but she had said it to Anna with such comfortability. It scared Elsa… she had never told that much information about herself to anyone outside the band before.

But Anna wasn't judging her. At least, not out loud. However, whenever their eyes met on the way back, Anna would send her a thankful, supportive smile as if she were grateful she was able to hear so much about the mysterious punk.

Once they entered the hotel lobby, Anna finally spoke up, bumping her hips against Elsa's.

"You know, I had hoped hearing all that would have cleared a lot up for me. But you're even more of an enigma than ever," she commented.

"Maybe one day I'll make more sense to you," the blonde said, winking down at Anna.

"Perhaps… but I'm glad you told me."

"Hey, there's still a lot more about me you need to know. All in good time, kid."

"Like I've said before, I'm willing to earn my way chapter by chapter into that thick book titled Elsa."

"You really aren't gonna give up?"

"Nope!" Anna thought for half a second before speaking up again. "Hey—! What's your last name?"

"Ooh, that's one of those things that's locked up in a vault along with these babies." Elsa held up a gloved hand and wiggled her fingers in the air.

"Really? Your _last name_?"

"I'm like one of those icons out there with a single name— only I'm way better."

"Such a big ego for such a pretty face."

Elsa paused her stride towards the elevator doors and Anna froze, too, realizing what she had just said. The boys were oblivious, still chatting away about their concert that night. Anna fumbled over her words, trying to search for a proper explanation for her unintentional compliment.

The look on Elsa's face was one of flattery and astonishment, attempting to understand where Anna's comment had come from. Instead, she decided to take it with pride and walked over to Anna, pressing a kiss against the rambling girl's head, cutting her off.

"Why thank you, darling. You've just inflated it a little more," Elsa said against her skin.

"Ah… okay?" Anna whimpered.

"Where's that backbone?" Elsa teased, pulling away and heading back to the elevator. "Cat got your tongue?"

"No!" the roadie spluttered, glaring at Elsa. "You're still a big show off! So what that you're attractive!?"

"I'm attractive now?" Elsa laughed, the three boys halting their conversation and giving them strange looks.

"Screw you, you're making me awkward!" Anna spat, shoving her way by the punk to get into the elevator first.

"You said it, not me!" Elsa said defensively, stepping beside her.

"Did we miss something?" Sitron wondered as the doors slid shut behind him.

"Anna's in love with me," the lead singer teased.

"Gross! No way in hell would I ever want to date you!" Anna screeched, her face igniting.

"Awh, look, she's blushing!" Olaf chimed.

"You guys are the worst!" Anna moaned, running a hand over her face.

"I ship it!" Sitron roared suddenly. "Elsa and Anna for the win!"

Elsa started cracking up, concealing it behind a leather clad glove while Olaf met him halfway for a high-five, Marshmallow chuckling in the corner. Anna sighed in agony as Sitron started chanting, "Elsanna! Elsanna!" over and over again. As soon as the doors slid open on their floor, Anna stomped on the bassist's foot on her way out, shutting him up in an instant and making Elsa laugh even harder.

"I hate everyone right now," the redhead grumbled, slumping to her room while Dry Ice laughed up a storm behind her.

* * *

**So this son of a bitch is late. Sorry. I had a lot going on this week (including my birthday. Say hello to a new legal adult). And last week I was away from my computer so… a lot was happening.**

**But here it is!**

**Haha…**

**Ahem.**

**So we have a backstory for Elsa that's still a little shrouded in mystery. I tried to keep it somewhat closed off and not give too much away about our lovely Elsa. It's basically a fill in about her. Others will be given about the other band members later.**

**AND GUESS WHAT!?**

**I've done this with my story **_**Coping**_** and my Adventure Time fics but I'd like to do it with this one. If you can write songs, like really good ones with a chorus and bridge and whatever, then you can submit one to me to be Elsa's new song (preferably about Anna). It'll be in a much later chapter but since I can't write songs for shit, I'm looking for some talent out there. You'll be credited and everything in the Authors Notes in the chapter it's in. So if you'd like to write a song for this story, I'd love to hear it.**

**By the way, that French Elsa said was off Google translate so I bet it's completely wrong. Sorry.**

**Anyway, I'm tired and I have tests in the morning. I'll see you next Sunday, my loves.**

**Fav/Follow/Review**

**See you next time!**


	10. Lean On Me

**The little "Place, Date, Time, Weather" at the beginning is a tribute to one of my other Elsanna fics that takes place in the city Dry Ice is currently visiting. If you know it, wink wink. If you don't, go check out Sun Kissed!**

* * *

_The Place: Seattle, Washington  
__The Date: June, 2014  
__The Time: 9:26 AM  
__The Weather: Cloudy_

The next stop of the tour was Seattle, a cloudy city in which Anna had been only once before. When Elsa told her that their next stop was to be in the Emerald City, Anna had been excited to get there. She had a few friends in the city and was hoping to see them before their four nights in the city were over.

So when the bus came to a full and complete stop behind the theatre where the concerts would take place, Anna burst through the doors before the band, pulling her jacket on in the process, to take a heavy whiff of the familiar scent of rain that always filled Seattle.

"I'm guessing you like Seattle," Elsa commented as she followed the rambunctious roadie outside.

"I came here to visit friends a while ago. I loved every second of it," Anna said, bouncing on the balls of her feet as the other band members walked out of the bus. "I might give them a call, hang out and all that fun stuff."

"Why not," Elsa agreed, giving her that toothy grin. "You deserve a little time off. You're nearing the end of the first month and I'm glad to say, I'm impressed, kiddo."

"Thanks," Anna said gleefully. "I'm gonna head to a Starbucks and get myself something. You guys want your usuals, right?" She started backing up, waiting for their affirmatives. Once she was given them, she turned on her heel and started to head off, her gloved hands deep in her jacket pockets.

"You're unusually chipper," Olaf said to Elsa as they made their way into the theatre. "What's with that? You never give roadies time off."

"Anna's just a kid, Olaf," Elsa said with a shrug. "And she's been good to us. I'd be more of a colossal bitch if I made her work all the time."

"Elsanna," Sitron hissed behind her, only to earn and elbow in the stomach. He doubled over and coughed but still managed a shaky, "Fuck you, Elsa."

"He's got a point though. I think you're being incredibly lenient with Anna because you like her," Marshmallow joined in.

"You guys are high," Elsa drawled, rolling her eyes. They entered the backstage area, Elsa scowling to herself. "So what? I told Anna a bit about myself and she paid me a compliment. Big whoop."

All three boys exchanged hopeless looks. Elsa was so deep in denial that a Jungle Cruise director could make several puns about her and the Nile River. Instead of continuing the teasing, Olaf bounded onto the empty stage and spread his arms, as if he were trying to embrace the seats.

"Hello, Seattle!" he shouted broadly. "I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!" He made several cheering sounds by exhaling, cupping his gloved hands over his mouth to get them to reach farther around him.

"And I'm Sitron and I'm cooler than Olaf!" Sitron said, jumping in and pushing Olaf out of the way.

Simultaneously, Elsa, Marshmallow, and Olaf all booed at him. The echoing theatre made their boos bounce back at them, making it sound as if there were more than three people booing the poor bassist.

"You guys suck," Sitron growled, grabbing his bass that Oaken had brought up from the bus. He started fingering the G-chord, the dull thumping of the instrument filling the room. "Can we please just start practicing before I shoot you guys?"

"With what? A needle?" Elsa teased, taking her place at the mic.

Olaf and Marshmallow roared with laughter as Sitron grunted incoherently under his breath.

"Okay, okay," Olaf gasped, wiping a tear from his eye, picking up his guitar. "Let's actually get serious about this now."

"Yeah," Marshmallow agreed, grabbing his drumsticks off one of the drums and sitting before his instrument. "Which set shall we start with, Els?"

"Let's take it from the top. I wanna try a few things," Elsa said, snapping her fingers as she counted them in.

* * *

"Yeah, we'd love to see you!" Meg said enthusiastically on the other line. "So glad you're in town!"

Anna pumped her fist, waiting in the warm exterior of the Starbucks for her coffee orders, grinning like a dork. Several eyes turned towards her in curiosity, wondering why this strange redheaded girl was dancing on the spot.

"Awesome! I'm so excited to see you guys," she said into the phone. "I still have my—" She dropped her voice to a whisper. "—fake ID so we can go to bars and stuff."

"Sounds great, red," Meg said, Anna hearing the smirk from over the phone. "See you at eight tonight at Jazzy's house."

"Can't wait," Anna sang. "See you soon!"

"Later."

Anna hung up the call just in time for her order to be placed on the bar for pick up. With a kind smile, she thanked the barista and headed into the cool Seattle air, ready to spend the evening with some of her friends.

She found the band on stage practicing their set for the next night, Elsa practically making love to the microphone, her hips swaying as if the crowd was already before her, chanting her name. Anna waited for the song to finish— trying to stare at anything other than Elsa's hips— before she walked on stage.

"Coffee break! Ready for America's best damn Starbucks?" Anna giggled, sitting on the platform that supported Marshmallow's drum set.

"Thanks, kid," Elsa said, taking her hot chocolate from her. "Even though I didn't actually get coffee but I'm sure I can sneak a sip from one of you."

"Don't get Sitron's. I'm sure it'll be disease ridden form one single sip," Olaf teased.

"You guys…" The bassist sighed, nursing his black coffee with a small scowl.

"Alright, let's lay off of him," Elsa said, raising a hand to call off any more jokes from Olaf. "He's had enough today."

"Is it customary to poke fun at him or something?" Anna asked, crossing her legs.

"No but sometimes we like to tease him," Marshmallow said, thumping Sitron on the back. "He's usually a good sport about it."

Sitron gave a crooked smile to Anna. "We pick on each other all the time but it _can_ get to be a bit much from time to time."

"Yeah, like making too many jokes about the gloves," Elsa reminded them in a hiss.

The room seemed to become unnaturally colder to Anna, the three boys grinning guilty and burying their faces into their drinks. Elsa sat beside the roadie, taking a long swig of her drink.

"So, kid, what's the scoop on those friends of yours?" Elsa wondered, licking her lips unconsciously and distracting Anna for half a second.

"Uh…" Anna blinked for a second before fully registering the question. "We're going out for drinks tonight. Maybe go dancing. There's a string of bars on Capitol Hill— that's a street here— I visited a while back. It's gonna be awesome. It's been for, like, ever since we've all hung out at once."

"What made them come up north?" Marshmallow said conversationally.

"Well, Meg goes to college here, Jasmine's family moved, and Ariel's always lived here," Anna said with a small shrug. "Meg and Jasmine used to live in Arendelle until they came up here. Rapunzel and I visited them a while ago and met Ariel here when we did. Kept in contact after we left."

"In a nutshell, distant friends," Sitron summed up, his brows furrowing gently.

"Yeah, I guess. The point is, I'll have some girl time tonight while you guys prep for tomorrow's concert," Anna said, smiling joyously at the bassist.

"Hm," Sitron mumbled over the rim of his cup before drinking deeply.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent with Dry Ice practicing their sets, occasionally getting into arguments with tech about the lighting cues or sound. Anna was running around backstage, ensuring that things were prepared for the concert the following night and helping Oaken out with moving equipment.

_I can't be the only roadie for this band,_ Anna found herself thinking sometime that day. _Maybe Elsa should hire another one so I won't break my back hauling heavy stuff back and forth._

But as soon as six o'clock rolled around, she rushed back to the bus— the band trailing behind her, very amused with her bout of excitement— to change into some decent clothes that didn't have the band's style written all over it and ditched the leather gloves. She settled on one of her favorite olive green tops, a thin, black cardigan over it, a pair of faded jeans, and her black Doc Martens. Her hair remained down and she slipped her wallet into her pocket, ready to go out and meet her friends.

When Anna entered the main room, Elsa was in her bedroom struggling with lyrics no doubt, Olaf was hanging out in his bunk with his earbuds in, Marshmallow was in the booth reading a book, and Sitron was lounging on one of the couches.

"Alright, I'm off," Anna said, skipping to the door.

"Hey, Anna, wait," Sitron called after her as she exited the bus.

She paused and turned as he walked out after her, hand extended. She glanced down at it and then back up into his expectant face. Then she lifted an eyebrow, demanding an explanation. He rolled his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck with his other hand. He seemed nervous about whatever it was he wanted, she noted. But he said it anyway, looking her in the eyes.

"Gimme your phone," he said.

"Why?" she asked tentatively.

"I need to do something."

Pursing her lips, Anna pulled her phone out from her pocket and handed it to him after punching in her passcode. He then went to her contacts and programmed his number into it— and took a ridiculous selfie of himself giving the rock-on sign— before handing it back over to her.

"If you need anything, I want you to call me at once," he said.

She stared at him, stunned at this sudden burst of chivalry from the otherwise sarcastic and inappropriate bassist. He shrugged and flushed lightly.

"Be careful out there, kid," he muttered, going back inside.

Anna pocketed her phone again and backed away slowly before fully turning on her heel and striding towards Jasmine's house, a slight bounce in her step.

When she arrived in front of a small roadhouse, rain had begun a soft pitter patter upon the many heads of Seattleites. Anna hugged her cardigan closer to her body, glaring up at the dark grey sky.

_Of course it rains_, Anna thought bitterly. _It's Seattle for Christ's sake… I just hope it lets up soon. We're walking everywhere_.

"Anna!" a voice squealed as a bright red head leapt out of the front door. Anna found herself in a tight embrace, the breath leaving her lungs in an instant. "It's so good to see you! I missed you!"

"Hiya, Ariel," Anna croaked. "How are you?"

"I'm wonderful now that you're here!" Ariel giggled, stepping back and allowing the other ginger to breathe.

"It's good to see the two ginger kids interacting with their own kind," drawled a bored voice.

Anna glanced up to find Meg sauntering over to the pair, her hips swaying just as they always had. Although, Anna knew that her hips were absolutely no match for Elsa's. Not by a long shot.

But she would never admit it to herself. Let alone Elsa. The punk would never let Anna live that down.

"It's good to see you, too, Megara," Anna said, giving the Greek girl a tight hug. "Everyone misses you down in Arendelle."

"I'll be down there as soon as my college days are done," Meg said, patting Anna gently on the back.

"Ooh, it looks like we're all here," Jasmine said, appearing at Meg's side as if she had teleported there. "And it's raining… oh well. It'll let up later."

"C'mon, we have some catching up to do," Meg said, encircling Anna's shoulders with a friendly smile.

So the four of them walked in the drizzle towards Capitol Hill, entering a small, intimate bar and ordering a couple of drinks after flashing their IDs at the bartender. They picked out a booth together and huddled close, nursing their drinks as they started discussing their lives since they last saw Anna.

Meg was apparently getting into the business of entertainment, claiming that her comedic bits were some of the best her professor had ever seen. She was genuinely interested in becoming an actress, which Anna wasn't surprised to hear at all. Meg was always the sarcastic one of the group in high school, most often leaving her friends into fits of laughter after a simple comment about her boyfriend or a teacher or something of the sort.

She and Olaf shared that kind of hilarity. However, on one hand, Meg was snide while, on the other, Olaf was cheerful.

Jasmine was taking over her father's business in the future so she was studying up on becoming the CEO of his company. While she was a no-nonsense kind of girl, she had a simpleness to her personality. It was strong and something to be admired. So most of her classes were about business and money management.

"I've been trying to get Aladdin to study that, too," Jasmine said hopelessly, stirring her third drink of the evening. "He needs it."

Ariel had just celebrated her third year anniversary with her boyfriend Eric, who was supporting the ambitious girl as she looked into fashion design. She claimed she wanted to make a full line of mermaid-esque swimsuits and dresses that were boldly unique in every way, matching the preference of the specific customer.

"It's either that or I'd help my father out with cleaning the oil spills or becoming a marine biologist," she said perkily. "I have a lot of options."

"How's our little ol' red been doing?" Meg interjected, glancing lazily at the roadie before her.

"I'm alright. College break is treating me well. I've been traveling around to a lot of places," Anna said, her eyes lighting up.

"So that's why you turned up out of the blue," Jasmine concluded.

"Yeah. I'm only here for four nights though. Then we all have to get going to—"

"Wait," Ariel cut Anna off. "We? Who are the others?"

"Oh! Right, of course," Anna giggled. "I'm a roadie."

Meg stared before snorting into her fist. "A roadie? For what, some cheap opening band?"

"No. I'm a roadie for Dry Ice," Anna said indignantly.

The other three froze, blinking stupidly at her. They all exchanged looks before bursting into laughter, drawing a couple of curious glances and leaving Anna very confused. She scrunched her brows together, looking from girl to girl.

"What's so funny?" Anna demanded.

"You're traveling with Dry Ice?" Meg gasped. "That's rich!"

"Stop joking around, Anna," grinned Jasmine. "Really, what are you doing with your time?"

"I'm serious! I've been hanging out with them for at least a month!" Anna said.

The laughter died down as they realized that she wasn't joking. Meg folded her arms across her chest and leaned into the cushion of the booth.

"You can't be serious," she scoffed. "They're such hackers."

"Wha-?"

"Don't they have any other song _besides_ 'Let It Go?'" Jasmine added, shaking her head. "And that Elsa chick is way in over her head."

"They're not even that good," Ariel said critically. "My sisters' choir group is better than them."

"But… have you ever heard them live?" Anna asked weakly, fingering her glass with embarrassment and something else she couldn't quite figure out.

"Why bother? Their tickets are so expensive I need to sell several of my vital organs in order to cough up the dough," Meg droned, rolling her eyes.

"I hope they're not influencing you too much," Ariel warned. "I hear that Olaf guy like touching people… like _touching _them."

"No, he doesn't!" Anna protested, her eyes shining. "He's a touchy, feely guy sure, but he only does that to his friends. He never goes any farther than hugs, honest!" She realized the more she said, the worse it sounded and her friends were giving her dubious looks. "And Elsa's not so bad. I mean, yeah, she can be a pretentious little shit I want to punch in the face every now and then but she's really sweet when she wants to be."

"Damn right she's pretentious," Jasmine imputed. "Those interviews… god, it's like she's begging for fans."

"'Be true to yourself,'" Meg recited, making her voice go raspy to mimic Elsa's voice. "I've heard that one before."

"And let's not forget Sitron," Ariel smirked. "He _looks_ like he'd drug you as soon as he got the chance just for the hell of it."

"Marshmallow… now _that's_ a dumb name. Who wants to be called something like that on stage? I mean, really," Jasmine said, shaking her head. "And he's so big. How does he fit behind that drum set?"

Anna was getting so hurt from all these attacks on her newer friends. After seeing all the hype about the band, she had naïvely assumed that everyone in the country was underneath the Dry Ice spell. Assumed that Elsa was worshiped by every girl and boy who had a strong fantasy for her to be in their bed with them. Assumed that everyone adored Olaf and his goofy smile. Assumed that Sitron was that lovable tramp of the band. And assumed that Marshmallow was that quiet giant everyone wanted to get to know.

But this was the first round of hate she had ever experienced. Even her first resentment was beaten down by listening to their music and then it was further melted away when she actually started hanging out with them, getting to know them. Yes, there were a few things… _quite_ a few things she didn't know but it was still early on. The first month was almost over and there was still so much time left.

They were just regular young adults who were ready to take on the music world around them, eyes bright and hopeful for a long and successful career.

"I'd quit if I were you," Meg finalized, pulling Anna out of her thoughts. "I don't want to read that you OD'd in some bathtub."

"That's not funny," Anna said quietly. "They don't do stuff like that."

"Wow, that's not really punk," muttered Ariel.

"You don't have to do that to be punk," Anna shot back. "And now what? They're not punk enough? They're not making enough bad decisions?"

"Pick a road and go," Meg said with an indifferent shrug, downing her fourth drink. "Just get out of there while you can."

Anna didn't say anything further and simply guzzled down her third drink before moving onto her fourth, glaring into the contents of her glass and waiting for this night to be over. It had gone from good to bad in the blink of an eye. She didn't like the sour opinions of Dry Ice at all.

It felt as if someone were criticizing her family. Making fun of people she cared deeply for. They were making all sorts of awful comments that made Anna wish she had never come out with them in the first place.

So she decided to drown away her bad mood, taking impressive gulps of her fourth, fifth, and sixth drink in stride. The world began to become slightly fuzzy around the edges of her vision, everything gaining a sort of glow to it, the alcohol working its way into her system, her body absorbing every last bit of it.

She didn't even realize her friends had left her at the booth thirty minutes ago after they paid for the redhead, telling her to comeback anytime whenever she left Dry Ice in the dust, hoping she was going to make the "right decision."

Tired and wanting to get back to the bus, Anna stumbled out of the bar, clutching her cardigan to her figure as rain started to tumble down harder than earlier that evening. Her hair was sticking to her face as she struggled to find her way back to the bus.

_I… I need_, she thought messily, shaking her head and trying to gain a sense of intellectual thinking.

She shakily reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, remembering something suddenly. She found the name she was looking for and pressed it, bringing it up to her ear and leaning on a building, rain hitting her clothes and soaking them.

"Hello?"

"S-Sitron," Anna hiccuped. "I… I want ta come home."

"Where are you?"

"Dunno… somewhere… Capitol Hill?"

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Hang in there, Anna."

"…Kay…"

Anna hung up the call and slid to the wet pavement ground, staring blankly into the dark grey sky, rain hitting her in her freckled face. She had no idea how long it had been since she called the bassist but she was sure she had been drifting in and out of a drunken slumber, trying to remain awake until he came and got her.

Just then there were two hands on her shoulders that startled her awake. When she opened her eyes, she discovered the concerned, carmel brown eyes of Sitron staring back at her.

"Hey, kid," he said softly.

"You showed up," she slurred, as if she was surprised to see him there.

"Of course I did," he cooed, helping her to her feet. "Let's get you outta this rain." He draped his jacket over her shoulders and pulled the hood up to protect her hair— in spite of its dampened state. "C'mon, Anna."

The roadie snuggled up to him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, shielding her from the evils of the world. Slowly but surely, they made their way back to the bus, Anna stumbling over her feet and babbling out drunken statements, Sitron nodding and responding with kind "uh-huhs" whenever she paused.

When Sitron helped her into the main room of the bus, Anna found herself in a tight and worried embrace by Elsa, which was a shock to all three boys, who didn't seem to care in the slightest that the ginger was soaked to the bone.

"Anna, thank god!" Elsa cried. "You had me worried sick! When you called Sitron and… and he had to run and get you. I couldn't catch him in time when Olaf told me what had happened. Oh, I would have gone after you myself— did anything… Anna? What's—?" Elsa pulled back to examine her friend's face, finding— to both her amusement and horror— that Anna was drunker than a sailor. "My god, you're… _wasted_."

"Yup!" Anna chirped, grinning stupidly up at Elsa, shedding the jacket Sitron had supplied her.

"Well… uh, I'm glad you're safe," Elsa said awkwardly, running a hand through her platinum locks and trying not to laugh at the intoxicated roadie. "You look exhausted… and like you're drowning in those clothes."

"I'll be _fine_," Anna insisted, swaying on the spot. "Elza, guess what?"

"What?" Elsa responded, inclining her head to Olaf as he made a waving gesture to gain her attention.

"I think you're sooooo super, duper cool," Anna giggled, leaning forward and burying her head in Elsa's shoulder.

'Get her fresh clothes?' Olaf mouthed, pointing to Anna's bedroom.

Elsa nodded, patting Anna's wet back gently as Olaf rose to his feet and strode into the roadie's room.

"Hey, kid, Olaf's gonna get you some clean clothes. Can you change yourself in the bathroom?" Elsa asked.

"Naw, I can do it in here!" Anna said gleefully, tugging at Elsa's braid.

"We'll close our eyes, Elsa," Sitron said, Olaf returning with a clean set of pajamas for Anna. "She's clearly not in any state to be… rational."

Olaf handed them to her, giving her a smile. "Get warm, kiddo," he instructed.

"Th-thanks, buddy," Anna grinned, already peeling off her cardigan and shirt.

The three boys respectfully turned their backs to Anna and Elsa as the rockstar attempted to assist her friend. But Anna was stubborn and only tossed her discarded clothes into her arms. Elsa rolled her eyes and watched carefully as Anna tried to reach around to unlatch her bra.

_Oh god,_ Elsa thought, grimacing and squeezing her eyes shut as the roadie finally unclasped the snaps.

"Ha! Success!" she cheered, shoving the shirt over her head. "Are there undies?"

"Yeah," Olaf affirmed, cracking his neck, still facing away from her.

_Don't open your eyes, don't open your eyes,_ Elsa kept repeating to herself as the thunk of the Docs being removed and the sound of the jeans hitting the ground filled the space around her. _Don't be an inconsiderate fuck for once in your life._

Anna didn't even seem to care she was half naked as she tugged on her new pair of underpants and sleeping pants. She had never felt more comfortable in her life. And as soon as she finished, she scooped the wet clothes from the ground and shoved them into Elsa's arms. Elsa opened her eyes and was thankful to see Anna fully dressed but still incredibly drunk.

"Thanks, Elza," Anna mewled. She reached out and cupped Elsa around her neck, the punk's breathing hitching, and gave the punk a kiss on the cheek. The action thoroughly shocked the poor blonde into silence. "I'm…" The roadie let loose a huge yawn and started rubbing her eyes. "Exhausted."

"Get some sleep," Elsa urged her, trying to remain calm. "I'll hang up your clothes, alright?"

"Mhmmm," Anna groaned, pushing by the other band member to reach her tiny sanctuary. But she paused at the open doorway and turned to them, her eyes big and almost watery, striking pain in their hearts, as if they were watching a puppy being abandoned. "I just wish I had a sloth to cuddle with."

And with that, Anna entered her bedroom and shut the door behind her. Elsa pursed her lips and entered the bathroom, hanging up the wet clothes to dry in the shower. There was a long silence as she reentered the main room before Sitron broke it.

"_What_?" he said, turning to Elsa with a dubious expression on his face.

"You heard the inebriated imbecile," Elsa said, shaking her head, zipping up her black jacket, and rolling down the sleeves. "Let's go get a sloth."

"_What_?" Olaf and Sitron said in unison.

"Oh, c'mon," Elsa said, waving them over. "She's too damn drunk to think straight. Let's just get her a damned stuffed sloth so she can wake up without thinking that everything was a mistake."

Marshmallow hummed pleasantly and followed Elsa out of the bus, buttoning up his leather jacket as he went. Olaf and Sitron exchanged looks of disbelief before grabbing their own jackets out of their drawers and rushing after the pair.

* * *

The search for a sloth stuffed toy led them to a 24/7 CVS, Elsa scouring the numerous animalistic playthings that overflowed in the stacks. She really couldn't believe she was looking for a _sloth_ in the middle of the night just because a drunk Anna made a comment about one.

But there she was.

Olaf and Sitron were busy looking at candies, far too distracted by their desires to please their sweet cravings and Marshmallow was checking the price on a new shampoo. Elsa bit her lip in frustration until her eyes landed on the cutest looking sloth, sticking out amongst the bears, dogs, and cats that surrounded it.

"You," Elsa breathed, reaching out and grabbing it by the stomach, only to hear it make the sweetest little noise she had ever heard. "Oh my god, you make those fucking baby sloth noises from that YouTube video."

"Find one?" Olaf asked cheerfully, a bar of Snickers in his hand, bounding over to the lead singer.

"Yup. What do you think?" Elsa said, presenting it to him.

"It's great!" he gushed. "Let's get it and go. Oaken texted me telling us that Anna's starting to mumble in her sleep. He's worried for her."

"Tell him we'll be there as soon as we can," Elsa said, heading up to the counter. "I've got to hand it to Sitron… that was really nice… _humane_ of him to give Anna his number." Her eyes became downcast. "I can't believe I've known the kid for this long and I haven't given her my cell number."

"Hey, we've been busy," he said softly. "It was the furthest thing from our minds. We'll give her our numbers tomorrow morning. We're just lucky Sitron thought ahead. God only knows what coulda happened to Anna if she didn't have his number."

"I don't _want_ to know," she grunted, standing in line behind some late-night workers picking up some final things on their way home.

Sitron approached them with a bottle of Seven-Up, yawning and stretching his arms behind his back.

"It's been a crazy night, yeah?" he grinned.

"Sitron, I know we can give you a lot of shit sometimes but…" Elsa looked him dead in the eyes. "You really are a loyal friend. Even to someone you've only known for a month… My respect for you went up ten thousand percent."

"That depends on where it was before," Sitron quipped, winking at her. Then he shrugged. "Awh, I was just making sure Anna and a way home."

"You cared for her enough to do that," Elsa said. "And you did it before any of us did."

Marshmallow lumbered over to join the conversation, sorrow in his big eyes.

"I could have given her my number so many times," he blubbered.

"It's okay, big guy!" Olaf said, alarmed at the fat tears that rolled down his little brother's cheeks. He patted Marshmallow on the arm soothingly, giving him a big, cheesy grin. "Anna's safe thanks to Sitron."

"He's a hero," Elsa said, smiling at the bassist.

"You're knocking this completely out of proportion," Sitron insisted. "Elsa, you're up." He nodded to a free cash register and Elsa went forth to pay for the stuffed sloth toy for the roadie.

With their purchases made and their items in bags, they returned to their tour bus to find Oaken nestled in his drivers seat, reading a book. He informed them that Anna had yet to wake up and was in a deep slumber in her room.

While the boys retreated to their bunks, Elsa entered Anna's bedroom with the sloth. The little redhead was in a tangle of her blankets, hair sprawled about in all different directions, her chest rising and falling with each deep breath she took. With an endearing sigh, Elsa rested the sloth on top of Anna's chest, only to have the ginger wrap her arms around the toy— the said item making several baby sloth noises— and turned in her slumber, snoozing evermore and smiling into the fuzziness of the sloth.

"Dork," Elsa muttered, smirking and leaving the room, closing the door with a gentle click.

* * *

Light hit her square in the face the next morning, waking her up and forcing a headache to spread from the back of her head to the front. Anna groaned and scrunched her eyes shut, wanting to shut the curtains and sleep for the rest of her life.

But once she jostled around in the bed, her stomach landed on a knot of some sort, catching her attention. Slowly— trying not to anger her aching brain— Anna sat up to reveal the cutest little sloth she had ever laid eyes on.

She made a noise that was a twist of delight and bewilderment. She absolutely adored sloths. They were her favorite animal in the known universe, always visiting the sloth exhibit at the zoo whenever she visited with Rapunzel. She lifted it up and applied some pressure onto it to test its softness.

And once that little sloth noise escaped, Anna let out a cry and hugged the thing to her chest.

"How in the world did you get here?" Anna asked it sweetly, as if it could respond to her question.

She heard hushed voices coming from the front room and wondered if they knew anything of the sloth's appearance. After all, she could hardly recall what had happened to her after she left the bar last night. It was all a big blur and she hoped everything was okay.

After forcing her hair into their old twin braids, she crept out of her room to find the entire band lounging around the room, talking quietly and finishing off their breakfasts.

"G'morning," Anna grumbled as she slugged over to sit next to Elsa in the booth.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Elsa teased. "How's the hang over."

"I… ng… dammit," Anna sighed, rubbing her eye. "What happened?"

"Well, all we know is that you got wasted, called Sitron, and he went and got you," Olaf said.

"He… he did?" Anna said, her eyes falling on the bassist, who was sitting across from her.

"No big deal," he said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"He was a good guy last night," Marshmallow praised.

"And you were very entertaining," Elsa grinned. "But…" Her gaze softened. "I was worried about you. I was relieved when you came back." She reached over and gave Anna's hand a squeeze with her gloved one.

"We were all worried," Olaf added.

Anna was both embarrassed and grateful, feeling her cheeks warm up with affection for each and every one of those around her. They had taken care of her last night, no doubt about it and weren't making it a humongous display.

"The sloth?" Anna questioned, lifting the toy from her lap with a cocked eyebrow.

"Oh, you wanted to cuddle with one so Elsa dragged us to a CVS to get one for you!" Sitron laughed, earning a hard kick from Elsa beneath the table.

"You got him for me?" Anna breathed.

Elsa shrugged and buried her face into the dollop of whipped cream topping her hot chocolate.

"She was just as much as a hero as Sitron was," Marshmallow chuckled.

"Oh, hey!" Olaf shouted suddenly, causing Anna to wince and whimper— her hangover slowly leaving her system. "Wait here!"

Olaf leapt from the couch and ran into Anna's room, returning with her phone and handing it over to her, asking for the code. Once Anna hesitantly punched it in, Olaf started to program his number into it like Sitron had done, taking a dumb selfie of himself to complete it. He tossed it to Marshmallow who did the same thing. Then Elsa was next, taking a selfie of both she and Anna before finishing it up and handing it over to the roadie.

"Now you have four friends to call if you're ever in a jam," Elsa chirped.

Anna stared down at the phone screen until it went dark. The others watched her, waiting to see her reaction.

But what they didn't expect was for Anna to start crying. Alarmed, Elsa reached out to her but Anna launched herself into the punk's arms, embracing her with more affection than Elsa had given to her when she came back from the bar. Elsa froze, unsure of how to handle a weeping roadie. She patted Anna's back awkwardly as she started to blubber out her emotions.

"I-I-I never knew how m-much you guys cared," Anna choked. "I h-had just assumed you would g-give me a hard time in the morning b-b-but you did the exact opposite." She clutched the fabric of Elsa's shirt, the rockstar gaping and flushing against her will. "It's so nice t-to have friends who w-would make sure I'm s-safe from harm." She sniffled and pulled away, wiping underneath her eyes. "Thank you, Elsa. Thank you, everyone."

"You're very welcome, Anna!" Olaf beamed.

"You're our precious roadie," Sitron smirked. "We gotta take care of you."

"We wouldn't be able to stand it if you got hurt," Marshmallow said quietly.

"You… ah…" Elsa swallowed and gave Anna a crooked smile. "You're part of our family now."

Anna returned a watery smile to the punk before settling deeper into the booth, toying with the sloth.

"So, I have to know," Elsa said, "what caused you to drink so much?"

Anna bit her lip. "Have you… ever experienced hate towards Dry Ice?"

"All the time," Olaf said, giggling.

"It happens to us a lot," Elsa nodded.

"So… you're not… you just shrug it off?" Anna concluded.

"Basically. Do you think everyone in the world likes… pfft, I dunno… One Direction?" Sitron said.

"You're comparing us to One Direction?" Elsa said but Sitron ignored her.

"Sure, they have tons of fans but there will always be some asshole group of people who hate them for no reason," Sitron continued. "It happens to the best of us."

"Why?" Marshmallow wondered.

"Well, my friends were telling me to quit because you guys were a bad influence on me and are just a terrible band in general. I got really upset about it to I drank my feelings away," Anna admitted. "But after last night, I can see you guys would never let anything hurt me."

"Of course not," Sitron defended.

"And those girls… they just up and left you like that?" Elsa asked, thoroughly astonished and disgusted.

Anna nodded. "They're nice but, I dunno. All my life I've been seen as this naïve, clumsy little girl by everyone around me. They treated me as if going with you guys was the dumbest decision to ever make… And people do that to me too often. They assume I'm stupid because I tend to act before I think and put others before me. I guess I put up some walls and developed this backbone I never knew I had because I didn't want to get hurt anymore. I wanted to show people that I was tough, too…" She gazed up at Elsa. "You and I have a lot in common that way, huh?"

Elsa blinked twice before giving her an understanding smile, nodding lightly. Anna sighed and leaned on the tabletop, sniffling again.

"So it hurt when they laughed at me… I know they had the best intentions with me about my safety but you proved so much in one night without even thinking. You're more loyal and kind than you let on." She glanced up at each face, staring at her with a mix of awe and affection. "Well, anyway, I'm not gonna be leaving you guys anytime soon," she said confidently. "I can't wait to finish this month up with you and head into another two!"

"Looking forward to getting annoyed by you for the rest of that time," Elsa laughed, mussing up Anna's bangs.

"Have you picked out a name for the sloth yet?" Olaf said excitedly.

The ginger stared down at the sloth and thought hard, trying to come up with a name for her newest friend. It suddenly clicked and she grinned.

"You know, I have the perfect name for him," Anna said, lifting him up and propping him on the table. "Mose."

"Mose?" Elsa repeated, squinting.

"It's an acronym!" Anna explained. "M for Marshmallow, O for Olaf, S for Sitron, and E for Elsa!"

"I'm _last_," Elsa scoffed.

"Best for last," Anna said under her breath, winking giddily at Elsa.

Elsa became flustered but hid it well, smirking instead of gawking like a moron at the roadie.

"It's a great name," Elsa agreed, patting the sloth on the head. "Hello, Mose. Welcome to the Dry Ice family."

* * *

**We need family bonding moments for these dorks.**

**And I am **_**NOT**_** taking already written songs. So nothing from other bands. This has to be an **_**ORIGINAL SONG**_** written by one of the readers specifically for this story. So if you can write a song complete with chorus, a bridge, and verses, please PM me.**

**This was a bit of a filler chapter but I wanted to show the progress the band is making with Anna. If you have any questions, feel free to message me.**

**Fav/Follow/**_**Review**_

**See you next time!**


	11. Message in a Bottle

**I realize the last chapter needed a proper build up but… I was okay with how it turned out. And for those who wonder whether or not Anna's getting paid, yes she is. Elsa told her that in the second chapter. I'll also throw you a bone in this chapter.**

**The sloth thing is a tribute/reference to Kristen Bell, Anna's voice actress if you didn't know, who has an undying love for sloths. Wanna know what that love is like? Look up Kristen Bell sloth on YouTube and click her interview with Ellen (Kristen Bell's Sloth Meltdown). It's the most important video ever. Not even kidding you.**

**More about the gloves and Hans' threat in this update. Enjoy.**

**Chibiandbasil, Dry Ice dedicates their first concert in Denver to you!**

* * *

Her fingers were surely getting carpal tunnel as she scoured through the internet late at night. She was snuggled inside her bed on the bus, the wheels bumping along the road, her laptop illuminating her face. Her dashboard proved to be very dull after tens of thousands of times refreshing it and her Facebook was unpleasant with messages from Meg, Jasmine, and Ariel apologizing for leaving her at the bar. They even claimed that Anna had demanded them to leave her alone in spite of their efforts to return her to the bus but Anna's memory had been wiped by that point. After her fourth drink, the world had gotten a bit fuzzy and she wasn't so sure what had happened between her and the girls… and had nothing to back herself up.

Instead, Anna had sent them very angry responses, explaining herself and how she was smart enough to make her own choices but they didn't seem to get the big idea of it all. So she decided to close out of FarmVille and do some serious research.

About Elsa.

Like she had told the punk, Elsa was even more of an enigma after she divulged a watered down version of her life's story. And those damned gloves were driving her insane. There _had_ to be something more to them than just a part of the show. Elsa was clearly hiding something… something much deeper than she let on.

So Anna was looking through several interviews on YouTube, online magazines, and even the god-awful TMZ bullshit that the media crams down everyone's throats. Once or twice, she accidentally stumbled across some very risqué pictures of Elsa on the cover of Seventeen and Cosmo that made the redhead so flustered she had to distract herself with other things.

It was also driving her insane that Elsa was getting under her skin in an entirely different way. She didn't _want_ this attraction to Elsa whatsoever and was determined to never seek out those festering thoughts of what the blonde's lips felt like on hers—

_Fuck, knock it off_, Anna scolded herself. _Focus on the gloves…_

In spite of those pictures being very appealing, Anna couldn't help but to notice the fact that her gloves were still glued to her hands. Every interview had at least one question about the leather homing her hands but Elsa gave such a vague answer that it was frustrating the roadie.

It would always go something like this—

_Interviewer: Elsa, it seems to be very popular amongst your fans to wear those fingerless gloves you're never seen without. What's the scoop on the gloves?_

_Elsa: Ah, well if I disclosed that information then the entire show would be ruined._

_Interviewer: How so?_

_Elsa: It gives a sense of mystery, doesn't it?_

And that's where she ended to discussion.

Mystery indeed! Anna was seriously getting more and more curious by the day. Now that Elsa had mentioned Anna was part of the Dry Ice family, she expected a few more secrets were going to be revealed.

But she was wrong.

She _still_ wasn't allowed to call Elsa "Els." And that was just so stupid in Anna's opinion.

The next stop was supposed to be in Helena, Montana but a few scheduling problems made it impossible for Dry Ice to perform, even for one night. Elsa and Kai had a humungous fight over the phone about it and Elsa was nearly brought to tears when she was told those concerts had been canceled until Anna managed to calm her down by making hot chocolate from hot water and a packet. All they could do now was slip through Montana and Wyoming before they reached Denver, where their next set of shows would take place.

So the trip was going to be unusually longer then Anna was used to.

As she continued to tear through the internet for any hint on what Elsa was hiding beneath the gloves— Mose snuggled up to her chest— there was a knock on her door.

In a flash, Anna slammed her laptop shut and whacked her head on the shelf above her bed as she sat up. The groan was taken as an okay to enter and Elsa opened the door, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"What's going on in here?" she asked, amused at the grunting and swearing ginger. "You looking at porn?"

"What!? No!" Anna flushed, glaring at Elsa. "What do you want? I thought you guys went to bed."

"I wanted to give you this before I forgot," Elsa said, giggling and walking over and turning on the lamp on Anna's bedside table, burning Anna's eyes out of her sockets at the sudden burst of light.

"Gimme what?" Anna groaned, rubbing the forming bump on her head.

Elsa stuck out her hand to reveal a paycheck with her signature on it, issued to Anna for about one-thousand-six-hundred dollars. Anna gaped down at it and back up at the punk, flabbergasted that she was getting paid this much for just sitting around and hauling things around backstage.

"That… what… wow," Anna spluttered, weakly taking the paper from Elsa.

"End of the month, dork," Elsa grinned. "You've earned that."

"I can't believe it," Anna breathed. "Thank you!"

With a wink, Elsa wished her a goodnight and closed the door behind her. Anna continued to gawk at her paycheck. That job, truly, was more generous than she had imagined. She tucked it away in the top drawer with her chargers and things before reopening her laptop to return to her Elsa research.

_There has to be something. It could either be really simple or really complicated… or maybe Elsa's being really theatrical… maybe even, I dunno, melodramatic. I wouldn't put it past her to make a big deal out of nothing after all. _Anna chewed on her thumb as she thought, using her other hand to scroll through an interview with some magazine she had never heard of before. _God, she's such a walls-up kind of girl. If they weren't such a big deal, then she'd take them off every now and again._

When things seemed to come to a stand-still, Anna decided it was time for her and Mose to get to bed. So she shut off her computer and tucked it back in its case before sliding deeper underneath her blankets, clutching the sloth to her chest.

The light that shined from the slit beneath her door went out, all the boys and Elsa going to bed finally. But the bus still chugged along, occasionally hitting a bump or making a turn, the movement only lulling Anna to sleep.

* * *

"I'm getting so fed up with it," Anna said during a pitstop somewhere by the border of Montana and Wyoming. "She has to tell me _some_time."

"Give her time, Anna," Olaf said, pushing the shopping cart alongside Anna. "She'll tell you if and when she's ready."

The pair of them were in a small market, stocking up on food and supplies for the band. The list Marshmallow made for Anna was in her hand as she searched through the shelves for the preferred Ramen that Sitron liked.

"It's clearly something important," Anna huffed.

"I told you, kid, it's not my place to say," he said, reaching over for a few cans of soup.

"Why do you wear them?" she demanded as she tossed the noodles into the basket.

"'Cause Elsa does," he reminded her.

They continued down the isles, Anna's teal eyes scanning the produce around her. They took a turn into the frozen section and went to work on filling the cart with pizzas, instant meals, and ice cream.

"I would seriously let it go— no pun intended. If you keep pushing it, then Elsa's never gonna reveal it to you," Olaf said wisely.

"You're probably right," Anna hummed. "Thanks for letting me vent, Olaf."

"Hey, it's no problem. I'm sure it's frustrating now knowing." He patted her on the back kindly with his own gloved hand. "All in good time, Elsa will finally come around. But believe me, she's never been more, ah, loose around someone like this before."

"Oh, don't give me that 'you're changing her' spiel," Anna scoffed, the two heading over to the check out lines. "That's sappy, fan fiction-esque bullshit."

"What if it's true?"

"So what if it is!?" Anna threw her arms up in exasperation. "I can't call her _Els._ Why? Ooh, 'cause we're not friend-friends." She waved her hands around and rolled her eyes heavily. "That's ridiculous! I mean, if anything, I should at least give her a more creative nickname rather than 'punk' or whatever."

Olaf's mouth twitched upwards but he allowed her to continue ranting. She ranted about how Elsa was pretentious, ranted about how she hated it when Elsa was overly flirtatious, and ranted about how she couldn't believe herself when she allowed Elsa to persuade her to get a piercing.

"But in the end," Anna sighed, stacking the food on the conveyer belt, "she's part of this little makeshift family and I can't stay mad at her."

"Under the spell of Elsa," Olaf teased.

Anna colored. "I am not!"

"You are so! Anna, you're swearing more often than usual," he pointed out. "And you're obsessing over the gloves, which are a part of Elsa. By the power of deduction, you're obsessing over Elsa."

"Olaf!" Anna shrieked, her face a violent shade of red and gathering the attention of several people. "Knock it off!"

He was giggling, biting down on his lip to keep himself from bursting out into laughter. Anna merely pouted, folding her arms across her chest, approaching the cashier with the money Elsa gave her specifically for groceries.

* * *

They arrived in Denver early the next morning, Anna curled up in a ball on her bed when Elsa banged on her door to wake her up. Blinking away the sleep, Anna sat up and rubbed her tired, teal eyes before stretching widely and yawning.

She changed into some comfortable clothes she deemed worthy enough to be seen in as she hauled around equipment before she exited her room to tend to her hair and teeth in the bathroom. When she got out, the band was already gone but Oaken was patiently waiting for Anna, smiling warmly at her.

"Hoo-hoo! Good morning, Anna," he greeted.

"Mm… g'morning, Oaken," Anna yawned, waving at him. "What's the schedule for today?"

"Elsa would like you to run into town and pick up some coffee," he said. "Then return here to help me with the backstage clean-up. Apparently, the last band wasn't very courteous during their stay."

"Sounds good," Anna nodded. "I'll see you in thirty minutes to an hour."

"Be safe!" he said as she passed him to exit the bus and head into town.

Anna dug her gloved hands into her pockets, her Docs hitting the sidewalk with dull thuds as she went on her way. Her eyes will still attempting to glue themselves shut, sleep heavy on her shoulders regardless of how hard she had slept the night before. She hated that feeling of sleeping well but being tired anyway.

What was the point?

She found a Starbucks nearby and slipped inside, putting in the orders for her and the band.

It was the same old story, same old routine. And Anna was getting so weary of it all. She secretly wished something would happen to make things a little more interesting… something to pull her out of a rut she was stuck in for a month.

But that night, Anna regretted she had ever made that wish.

* * *

The concert was going on well from where Anna was standing side stage right, going over the show's cues in her head as she watched Elsa make the stage her bitch, thrusting those hips every which way. Anna, try as she might, couldn't stop staring.

And she hated it.

"Fuck," she grunted, sinking into a chair and crossing her legs. She closed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest, trying to listen to only the music.

Dry Ice was performing a cover of "Black Sheep" by Metric, Anna only knowing the song from a movie adapted by one of her favorite graphic novels. She found herself paying attention to one specific instrument: Olaf's guitar. For some reason, she was able to pick it out the best amongst the thunking of Sitron's bass, the pounding beat of Marshmallow's drums, Elsa's scrumptious voice, and the hoots and hollers of the crowd. She cracked one eye open, zeroing in on the guitarist, who was closest to her from where she was sitting.

His gloves hands were flying across the chords, his head banging to the music just enough to show how absorbed he was with his music. How in sync he was with the rest of the band, yet it also appeared as if he were off in his own world.

Anna smiled at him, unbeknownst to him, and cheered him on by shouting, "Olaf! Olaf!" only for it to be lost in the sea of Elsa's name and drowned out by the song. The backstage screw didn't notice the lone roadie, clapping along with the beat, beaming in respect for her friend. But it seemed like he heard Anna's voice somehow in the buzz of all the chaos and his smile got more cartoonish, slaying the axe with a harsh move of his fingers, the sound slicing through the air in such a way that the very air practically vibrated.

It was sort of sad, she mused, that Elsa got all the attention. There were important people with her on that stage. Her ego would be her downfall one day… Anna just hoped she would never have to see that day.

When the end of the song reverberated around the stadium, everyone screamed and shouted. Elsa called their attention and sat on one of the larger amps, crossing her legs and addressing them, her lips brushing the microphone and her voice pulling them into her spell.

Anna avoided such hypnotic actions by busying herself with a time chart that really meant absolutely nothing.

"Hello, Denver, it's so great to be here with all of you," Elsa cooed.

"I love you, Elsa!" a female voice screamed from the crowd.

Elsa's smirk grew. "And I love you, sweetheart."

Another scream followed and then silence, Anna pretty sure that girl had just fainted. The rockstar didn't seemed conceded as she continued to have a one-sided conversation with her fans.

"I visited Denver a while back… It was snowing then," she recalled, earning a few whoops. "Oh man, those were still my _roadie_ days. Can you all see me as a roadie, my dears?"

There was a collective sound of laughter, the three boys chuckling in the background. Anna felt a small connection with Elsa, liking the fact she and the punk shared an occupation at one point. Maybe that's why Elsa was giving her such an easy time for the most part.

"By the end of this tour, we'll be in New York. It's crazy to think that we've gotten this far. Of course, it's all thanks to you," she said, making a graceful swooping gesture with her hand across the audience to make her point. They all cheered, happy to help their goddess with her success.

But their celebration was cut short when a bottle was thrown out of the pit and soared at Elsa's head. Olaf had seen it coming in the nick of time, for he had ripped off his guitar and rushed to her, tackling her out of the way. The bottle shattered on the taller amp Elsa had been leaning her back against, drawing absolute silence in the audience.

Sitron and Marshmallow abandoned their instruments and Anna ran on stage, Oaken hot at her heels.

"Are you okay?" they all asked her in unison, ignoring the uproar in the crowd as the loyal fans of Dry Ice searched for the bottle thrower.

"I'm fine," Elsa grumbled, Olaf helping her to her feet. "Thanks for the save, buddy."

"Hey, no problem," he said, mustering a grin.

Security began to flood the passageways and block the exits.

"Who the hell threw that?" Anna wondered, glaring into the crowd.

"I don't know," Sitron growled, clenching his fists. "But I'll fucking find out."

"Wait," Elsa warned, throwing an arm out to keep the bassist from charging into the pit— most likely to be attacked by fans rather than bottle throwers. "Let security handle this. The show must go on… no matter what."

"Don't give me that Queen bullshit," Sitron snapped. "If someone threw a bottle at Freddie Mercury, I'm pretty sure there'd be police officers swarming the place immediately."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm _not_ Freddie Mercury," Elsa said, rolling her eyes. "And I bet you he'd keep singing just the same unless the bottle smacked him in the head!"

"Alright, alright!" Anna said, calling them to peace, spreading her hands calmly.

The crowd was still rumbling, a few people trying to push their way around in an attempt to find the attacker. No one was paying much attention to what was happening on stage.

"Look, security _will_ handle it," Anna assured, trying to smooth over the situation. "Oaken, can you get out there and try to subdue the asshole?"

"I'll do my best," he said before rushing off to assist the rest of the guards.

"Now, you four get back to your stations," Anna commanded, the band staring at her in serious respect for once. "Elsa, try to get the crowd to remain silent and still. The rest of you keep a keen eye on the pit. He can't have left yet. Got it?"

They all nodded in unison.

"Great, I'll try to sneak into the pit and see if I can't do anything."

And with that, Anna took off and slipped down the side stairs into the pit, flashing her ID at the security guard who prevented rabid fans from performing stage dives, getting too close to Elsa, or climbing on stage and claiming the title of first-class attention whore. He let her go through and Anna easily blended into the crowd of Dry Ice fanatics who were lucky enough to get pit access.

"Everyone, please!" Elsa said into the mic, her voice suddenly cold and commanding, as if she were an actual queen ruling over a kingdom. "I ask for your silence…"

And everyone shut their mouths, freezing underneath the gaze of the punk. They were staring at her in anticipation, Elsa's eyes following Anna as she slipped around the fans with ease, nobody paying her the slightest attention.

"It would appear, someone is trying to get under my skin," Elsa said.

Anna nearly snorted. _That's one way to put it. And here I thought my friends were jackasses. At least they have the sense not to throw a glass bottle at her._

"But, my loves, that will not happen," Elsa said firmly, standing her ground. The air seemed to cackle with a chilly wind, her combat boots planted firmly on the stage. "Whoever you are, I'm sorry to say nobody else here is willing to follow your movement… and boy, you're in trouble." Her smile turned so malicious, a shiver passed through every single audience member.

There was movement in the row behind Anna and she quickened her pace in the thick crowd, shoving by everyone and ignoring their protests. Elsa saw her struggle and waved her hand lazily.

"If you wouldn't mind, darlings, my good friend Anna is trying to capture our bottle thrower," Elsa said. "Please give her space."

As if Elsa possessed the force, everyone gravitated away from the redhead, giving her room to pursue the idiot who _dared_ to throw a bottle at Anna's friend. With a strength she didn't know she possessed, Anna made a lunge for him as he tried to get away. She grabbed him around the waist and they both went crashing to the cool grass of the stadium beneath them, the horse head of the Denver Broncos playing as the arena for their scuffle.

The man was swearing in an accent Anna didn't quite grasp at that given time, sending his fists flying behind him in order to harm her. He was attempting to throw her off but she held on tight. There were four shouts in the growing noise, all recognizable to Anna as the concerned cries of her friends on stage. All at once, the Dry Ice fans screeched and assisted Anna in maintaining him. It was then that Anna truly appreciated their dedication to the band.

Oaken came bolting out of nowhere, ripping him away from Anna and lifting him high into the air with his fist, his usually kind eyes glowing with a protective fury. Anna glanced at the stage to find Elsa, Olaf, Sitron, and Marshmallow containing themselves from jumping into the pit, their eyes also burning with hatred at the man for trying to hurt her. If it hadn't been for the kindness they had showed her that night in Seattle, Anna would have been shocked.

Instead, she gave them and reassuring smile and followed Oaken backstage, the burly man slinging the attacker over his shoulder like a rag doll.

Out of respect, the crowd applauded Anna. Elsa visibly relaxed but her gloved hands were still gripping the microphone tightly.

"Well, now that's out of the way," Elsa said thinly. "Shall I serenade you all with a bit of Paramore?"

That worked like a charm on her loyal fans, the worshipping returning full force and cheers rolling out to Elsa and the band like the ocean.

* * *

The man could have been a Dry Ice fan… if he gave it any real effort. He was a peculiar sort of fellow, Anna noted, as she watched him struggle against blue and red electrical cords on a wooden chair. Average in bulk, Dry Ice memorabilia on his person in order to blend in with the crowd, and his hair was shaved on the side like Marshmallow's but it was pink instead of snow-white. When he spoke, he sounded like a high class English man but most of the words he had uttered were swears in either Anna's direction or Oaken's.

The blonde security guard was glaring down at him, his cuddly, teddy bear appearance extinguished completely. If Anna weren't so angry at the man, she would have been scared of Oaken.

The concert was ending with the last note of "Let It Go" being belted out by Elsa. Once she finished, the audience exploded with applause and Elsa bid them farewell.

Anna had to hand it to Elsa; she really managed to collect herself and perform as if nothing had gone wrong. The show must go on, indeed.

The band exited off the stage and jogged around to the back where the three were waiting for them. The attacker was pouting— though Anna felt he had no reason to pout— and slumping in his seat.

"Alright, ass-wipe," Elsa said, getting into his face. "What's the big idea?"

The man simply glared at her.

"Not gonna talk? Fine," Elsa growled, leaning back and folding her arms across her chest. In spite of the sweat glistening on her skin and her chest heaving from bouncing around on stage, Elsa still managed to look intimidating. "I'm sure the cops will have a nice time with you. I don't need to waste my time—"

"He warned you," the man said, his eyes falling on Anna.

"I beg your pardon?" Anna said, alarmed. "Who warned me?"

"Keep Anna out of this," Elsa said sharply.

"Wait, hold on," Olaf piped up. "Els, give him time to say what he has to."

"Who warned me!?" Anna demanded, exasperated, tired, and knowing her hotel bed was calling to her.

"Anders," the man said dully. "Hans found out that his family basically disowned him after he told tales of revenge. And that Anders came blubbering to you in order to avoid a lawsuit."

"_You're_ Westerguard's lackey?" Elsa spat, disgusted.

"My name is Jones, thank you very much."

"Okay, Jones," Olaf said, he and Elsa seeming to play good-cop-bad-cop at this point. "If you tell us why—"

"I already told you," Jones said, rolling his eyes. "Hans wants revenge. You picked a bone with the wrong guy, Elsa." He grinned malevolently at her. "He's not going to take this firing lightly."

"Hans can go fuck himself!" Sitron said from behind Anna, startling her.

"I concur," Elsa said firmly.

"Revenge is gonna be sweet unless you make amends," Jone continued.

"Hans got fired because of his bad attitude, his lazy tendencies… the list goes on!" Olaf said, starting to get irritated fast.

"So he hired me to deliver the warning," Jones said, as if it all made sense.

"But that doesn't explain why you threw a _fucking bottle_ at Elsa's head," Anna ground out, drawing astonished expressions from the band. "That's not a warning! A warning is a cryptic message on their Facebook wall or… an email… or a creepy phone call with a voice alterer!"

The corners of Elsa's mouth twitched upward at the endearing ideas Anna had for a warning.

"A bottle isn't exactly a great message," Marshmallow finally spoke up. "Especially if you aimed at her head."

"I wasn't aiming at her head, you idiots," Jones growled. "It just so happened to go that direction."

"Bullshit!" Elsa and Anna snapped simultaneously.

"Look, I may be hired to deliver a warning but I was certainly not trying to kill the girl," Jones defended. "That would be moronic."

The band, plus Anna, exchanged mixed expressions. On one hand, Olaf and Marshmallow seemed to believe his story. Sitron looked torn— deciding on whether or not to clock Jones a new one or let it go entirely. Elsa and Anna were both infuriated, wanting to get to the bottom of this and _then_ let it go. If Hans was really out for revenge, Anna was convinced that he was a big psychopath and acting like a gigantic child.

"Jones… I think we need to assess the situation," Olaf said slowly, not regarding the incredulous looks thrown his way by Elsa and Anna. "If what you say is true, then clearly Hans needs to be found and… we'll let you go."

"I want a damn restraining order," Elsa muttered.

"I won't do it again," Jones promised. "I only did it 'cause I got paid. I won't even report back to him. He'll hear about it on the news, for sure."

"I'm sure Twitter and Tumblr are blowing up right now," Anna mumbled, fighting the itch to whip out her phone and scour her dashboard for gif sets of Olaf pushing Elsa out of the way and her Twitter to find Tweets that most likely went: "OMG you guys won't even believe what happened (hashtagElsa, hashtagDryIce)."

"Should we press charges?" Sitron said, glancing at Elsa.

Elsa chewed on her bottom lip, her eyes raking over Jones with distaste. He returned the stare blankly, appearing bored.

"'Should we press charges!?'" Anna repeated, gaping at Sitron. "_Should_!?"

"No," Elsa answered.

"Wait, what?" Anna's fury vanished in an instant.

"I don't have time to waste on him," Elsa said. "It was one bottle thrower and I'm feeling lenient… Oaken, escort him out. I think we all deserve some time at a dive bar to drink away our troubles."

Oaken untied Jones and grabbed him by the back of his shirt, forcing him along. Anna was staring stupidly at Elsa, dumbstruck. Elsa caught her glance and furrowed her brows.

"What?" she snapped.

"I… No," Anna said acidly. "No, no, no, you should have done something!"

"Anna, I don't have time for getting into the legal bullshit," Elsa said harshly. "If he says he's not gonna do it again, he won't do it again! But I _will_ find Hans sometime soon and crush him for good. I guarantee you that."

The redhead drew in a long breath, the hum of the crowd long gone from their interrogation session with Jones. She felt tears prick the back of her eyes as her gloved hand ran through her hair.

"I just… I didn't like…" She felt her neck burn. "I was scared."

"Scared?" Elsa said.

Neither of them noticed that the three boys had followed Oaken out to give Jones a quick piece of their mind before allowing him to traipse off. It was just the two girls surrounded by electrical equipment and busy techies.

"I thought… I thought the bottle was going to hit you and I couldn't do a thing about it," Anna whispered.

Elsa allowed herself to smile genuinely, her heart fluttering at the compassion Anna was showing towards her. She tentatively reached out and wrapped an arm around the roadie's shoulders.

"Hey, Anna, it's alright," Elsa assured gently, ducking her head to meet Anna's teal eyes. "Lucky Olaf saw it before I did."

Anna sniffled and rubbed underneath her eyes, cursing herself for nearly crying at Elsa's expense. She nodded shyly, however, thanking their lucky stars that Olaf was light on his feet and acted fast.

"Just don't get attacked by bottle throwers again, okay?" Anna said, her voice cracking. "Or I'll finish the bottle's job."

Elsa laughed— not a snicker— a true laugh, throwing her head back with mirth. Anna felt her mouth twitch and her heart soared.

"I'll keep that in mind, kid," Elsa said, squeezing Anna's arm. "C'mon, I'll buy you a beer."

She started to lead Anna out of the stadium, the ginger feeling confident enough to slip her arm around Elsa's waist, the two of them finally acting like friends on mutual standings. They exited the stadium and spied three silhouettes pummeling one, though not too hard, and shouting warnings at him to never attempt to hurt Elsa again.

"You know what, that beer sounds great," Anna agreed, grimacing and almost feeling sorry for Jones. "It'll get my mind off of this whole incident."

"Jesus Christ," Elsa groaned. She placed two fingers in her mouth and whistled, calling off her band members at once. "Leave him alone!"

The three sulked off, Jones— not too hurt— stumbling to his feet and stuffing his hands in his pockets before heading in the other direction.

"They really do love you, Els," Anna tried.

Elsa smiled. "Yeah, they do."

They continued into Denver, arms still lazily slung over one another in kindness. The cool Denver sky smiled down upon them, midnight striking somewhere on someone's watch. Anna didn't remember what time she and Elsa made it back to the hotel but she was sure that it was at least three in the morning. They crashed in their respective rooms, tipsy and sleepy.

Anna, however, fell asleep with a goofy grin on her face.

She had called Elsa "Els."

And Elsa didn't even correct her.

* * *

**This is late, I know. I had meant to update it yesterday but I ended up going out and I didn't get home until midnight. By then I was too tired to go on my computer and update it.**

**But here it is.**

**Can you see the Elsanna? It's getting there!**

**Fav/Follow/Review**

**See you next time!**


	12. Fuckin' Perfect

**I'm pretty sure in the summary, I put "no flames, please." Why? Because I don't want assholes flaming my story. It's not just rude but it can really hurt anyone's feelings, no matter what story you decide to flame.**

**Don't question an author's story direction choice, people. Don't be a dick on the internet. I swear to god. We don't need any more of those idiots online. Flames won't be tolerated at all.**

**Okay… I got that out. I'm sorry, my darling readers. I'm glad there are some good ones out there with constructive criticism at their belt.**

**Also, I changed the last chapter's name to "Message in a Bottle" and Anna's pay increased.**

**Shall we?**

* * *

She could smell chimney and barbecue smoke from her bedroom window. The cool summer air was biting at her skin… but that was okay. The cold had never bothered her.

Her hair was falling in her face, icy eyes lidded with the decision weighing on her being. Her left shoulder still ached from the snowflake tattoo she had gotten a few months ago, which caused her to become grounded once her mother found out.

In retrospect, it probably would have been a good idea not to use her credit card.

She was leaning on the edge of the open window, gazing out at the dimly lit street glowing with luminescent orang street lamps. The crack beneath her door was dark… her mother and grandmother were both asleep.

Good.

It would make her escape much easier.

Elsa took in a shuddering breath and dipped down, her bare hands grasping the handle of her backpack. The bus would be leaving in an hour and she wanted to get there soon, lest her mother checked up on her. There was no way she was going to go tour that college with her tomorrow morning. It wasn't what Elsa wanted to do. She had taken that year off for a reason but her mother was insisting she attend college this year.

Elsa, however, had other plans.

She shouldered her bag and stepped onto the ledge of the window before she leapt from the second floor, landing on her feet on the front lawn. Elsa turned, staring intently at the window and straining her ears for any signs one of them had heard her.

Satisfied with the little results, Elsa stuffed her earbuds in her ears and smirked to herself, playing Rock Steady as she strolled down the sidewalk towards the place where the band was meeting her, to begin her life on tour as a roadie.

"Elsa?" a voice called through her earbuds.

The eighteen-year-old froze and she glanced over her shoulder. The voice sounded like her mother's… but she was asleep, right?

"Elsa!" the voice shouted, far away.

"Shit," Elsa groaned, the light in her bedroom flicking on.

Wasting no time, she took off down the street, her sneakers hitting the pavement with dull thuds.

"Elsa!"

The voice sounded closer to her, no matter how far or how fast she ran. The sidewalk seemed to be crumbling beneath her feet—

"Elsa, wake up!"

Something soft hit her in the face and Elsa woke with a start, sitting bolt upright, breathing hard. She took in her surroundings and discovered she was on the couch in the bus, the giant vehicle rumbling towards Texas. She didn't know how long she had been passed out or when she had in the first place. All she knew was that she was shaking and that four faces were staring down at her, concern written all over their features, Olaf holding the pillow he had smacked her in the head with.

"You were squirming in your sleep," he announced as Elsa ran a gloved hand through her hair.

"Bad dream?" Anna wondered.

"Yeah… sort of," Elsa mumbled, waving them away. "I'm fine. I promise. Jesus, give me some air."

"You heard her. Just fine," Sitron agreed with a laugh, sitting into the booth and continuing his oh-so-healthy breakfast of ramen.

"You look… well, more pale that usual," Anna commented quietly, sitting on the edge of the couch. "Are you sure you're okay? No fever or anything?"

"Anna, I'm alright," Elsa sighed, drawing her knees up to her chest. "It was just a dream… a memory…" She trailed off and Anna took that as her cue to leave Elsa alone and stop the questions.

So she got to her feet and headed into the booth opposite Sitron, burying her nose in a textbook so she could finally get some studying done. Olaf, however, sank beside Elsa and sent her a supportive smile.

"If you ever need to talk about it, Els," he said sweetly, placing his hand atop hers, the leather blocking the skin-to-skin contact, "you have friends here."

"Olaf, relax," she told him shortly. "If I'm having night terrors. It would be obvious if I was. It was just a stupid dream and that's that."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

His soft smile turned into his crooked, cartoonish smile and he turned his attention to the television broadcasting a cartoon. Elsa took in a deep breath and pressed her forehead against her knees, the fabric and pattern of her jeans embedding itself on her skin, trying to remember why she was experiencing those dreams again.

It was vivid… she hadn't had dreams like that in a long time; flashbacks to her childhood and late teens. It disturbed her. It wasn't even a really bad dream. She definitely had worse.

Elsa lifted her head and stared down at her gloves, feeling a rising hatred in her heart for the first time in a long time. She liked her gloves, she did, but after that dream… she remembered vaguely it was like to not wear them all the time.

The others were talking behind her but she couldn't quite make out what they were saying. She closed her eyes and let her fingers, the only bare part of her hands, rub against her jeans, trying to simulate the feeling of her senses.

Her ears picked up a part of Anna's sentence and she tuned in for a little while.

"…I wanted to murder him, wherever he is," Anna was saying, turning a page in her book. "Hans will _not_ get away with this."

"Anna, we contacted Kai last night and he's going to talk to the Westerguard company about getting him to back down," Olaf said.

"Hans is a maniac," Sitron said. "He's got this stupid… ah… entitlement about him that wants revenge. I dunno about you, but I think he needs to be locked up in the looney bin."

"I'd love to see that," Anna said bitterly.

"It's all we can do now," Marshmallow added, very much on his brother's side. "Hopefully he'll stop after almost getting Elsa injured."

"I don't think he cares about that," Anna scoffed.

"It's dangerous for himself," Olaf interjected. "I don't think he'd want to get in too much trouble."

"He wants to ruin Elsa's career! Her good name!" Sitron wailed.

"Can we _please_ put it to rest!" Elsa found herself shouting.

Everyone froze, shutting their mouths. The blonde ran a tired hand over her face and through her hair.

"Thank you," she said. "We're going to deal with it when the time comes, alright? For now, let's focus on the tour and the concert in… San Antonio?"

"Well, _around_ San Antonio," Olaf said, frowning. "It's actually this tiny town called… Weaseltown."

"What?" Anna snorted, a grin lighting up her features. "No _way_ is it called—"

"It's actually called Weselton," Marshmallow corrected, smiling.

"That's still stupid," Anna insisted, stretching out her legs along the length of the booth seat. "Weselton, Texas? Ew. Weselton sounds like a disease." She put on a deep voice, contorting her face to appear somewhat elderly. "'I'm sorry ma'am but I'm afraid you've developed Weselton's Disease. It's a form of stupidity, which is fatal.'"

Olaf and Sitron burst out laughing, clutching their sides.

"The point of the concert is to fight protest," Elsa recited over the laughter of the bassist and guitarist, nodding to herself. "Kai said that the mayor was really upset I'm playing there."

"Why?" Anna said, her head cocking to one said.

"'Cause it's Texas and they're not exactly thrilled to have a member of the LGBTQ community playing in their state, let alone their town," Sitron explained, rolling his eyes heavily but the grin due to Anna's joke was still on his face.

"But a lot of people like me for my music," Elsa said, the corners of her mouth twitching. "So a _huge_ number of people are demanding we play. Some people are coming from out of state to see me." She leaned her head back enough so she could look at Anna upside down. She then flashed Anna a cat-like grin when their eyes met. "But we'll be avoiding a large protest group on the way in."

"Dedication to your talent," Anna said with an approving smile. "I can't wait to see the look on their faces."

"You're not gonna warn us to be careful?" Elsa said, raising her brows.

"Like that would stop you," Anna said, shaking her head. "I actually say go for it. It's about time we stick it to bigoted protestors."

"You're saying it like we've never done it before," Sitron said.

"Oh! No, no," Anna said, appearing slightly alarmed. "Not at all. I'm… uh, I'm sure you have 'cause you guys don't seem to be the type to just back off. You put up a fight. Not that you'd _want_ to…" She made a disgruntled noise before shoving her head into her book. "Shut up, Sitron."

Elsa laughed and moved her head so it was in its normal position. She cracked her knuckles— the gloves always proving to be a barrier— and swung her legs off the couch so she could rise to her feet.

"I think I need some time to think," Elsa said. "I'm getting a headache…"

"There's Advil in the medicine cabinet if you need some," Anna said, concern falling over her face once again.

"No, no." Elsa shook her head. "I'll be fine. I just need to lie down and… something."

The boys didn't seem too worried about her but Anna was. She scooted off the booth and grabbed Elsa's arm as the punk tried to make an escape into her little cave of seclusion that was her bedroom.

"What?" Elsa snapped without meaning to.

"My mom once told me the best way to clear your mind is letting everything out to someone else. So the burden is no longer your own to carry," Anna said firmly, tightening her grip and digging her fingers into the alabaster skin of Elsa's left arm, the bold letters I and T of her "Let It Go" tattoo covered by the galaxy of freckles strewn along her hand. "I don't care if you and I aren't best friends yet, I told you I was going to try."

Elsa stared at her, bewildered, and felt a blush fall over her cheeks. The three boys seemed to shrink into the distance and all she saw was Anna, a true and strong affection and _some_thing else in the sea-green eyes of the redhead. That backbone she had been attracted to on the first day they had met. Elsa then placed the other thing in Anna's gaze.

Determination.

She wasn't going to allow Elsa to slide out of this one.

This stupid, dorky, stubborn girl was the reason Elsa was going crazy late at night. She had these strange attractions to Anna ever since she allowed herself to open up to her in the gym that day and they only grew. Letting another part of her slip terrified Elsa. Was she letting too much of herself to be put into Anna? She was trusting her… no one had ever made her feel as strongly as she did for the redhead. No one ever made her want to better herself, to open up and let people in.

Was she really ready to start up a new relationship… romantic or platonic?

No— she was in too deep with the kid already. She knew damn well her feelings were anything _but_ platonic.

The dream returned to her again. How anxious she had been when she jumped. How excited she had been, too. The thrill of running away from home— a legal adult or not— was something she had never regretted…

Until she had returned in January, earning an earful of scolds and shouts from her mother.

"I really want to help you," Anna said. "Please don't shut me out."

"I'm not sure if you _could_ help me," Elsa said truthfully, not meeting the younger girl's eyes.

"At least let me try," Anna offered.

"If you'd like…"

She eased her arm out of Anna's hand and pressed forward, Anna at her heels, toying with her hands anxiously. She didn't expect that to go so well.

As soon as they stepped over the threshold of Elsa's bedroom, it hit Anna that she had never actually been inside it before. Sure she had stolen glances while passing by to go into her own room or saw it slightly over Elsa's shoulder while talking to her in the doorway. Otherwise, the door was always shut. Anna assumed that Elsa just didn't let anyone in but clearly that wasn't the case at the given moment.

Elsa was shutting the door behind her, Anna drinking in the new area. The queen sized bed was pushed up in the corner of the room near the windows, playing the role of a cozy little nest for the punk. There was a desk attached to a small cabinet that held a television on the top on Anna's right. To her left was the wall that separated their rooms. Directly in front of Anna was a closet and a small beside table.

Not only was it small— bigger than Anna's thought— but it was also neat. Incredibly neat. As if Elsa had gone over every inch of this room with a ruler and a vacuum, ensuring it remained clean.

"Whoa," Anna found herself gasping.

"What?" Elsa said, smirking slightly and flopping down onto her bed.

"It's… I never imagined your room would be neat," Anna said.

"Really?" The blonde quirked an eyebrow and crossed her legs at the knees. "What did you expect?"

Anna scratched the side of her head. "Uh… a hovel?"

Elsa laughed. "I assure you, kid, that I would never allow my room to ever get messy. It doesn't do well when I want to think properly."

Anna's eyes skimmed the room again, her feet still planted near the door, and noticed that the only thing in the room that actually was a bit of a mess was the desk. With good reason, of course. There were papers crumpled up in the wastebasket, wrinkled on the desk as if Elsa tried to flatten them out. Eraser shavings littered the area and pencils were thrown haphazardly in the cup at the top of the desk.

"Except there," Elsa mumbled, her gaze following Anna's. "That's never clean."

"Still struggling with a song?"

"Yeah but that's not why you're here, is it?"

Anna blinked and shifted her eyes from the desk to Elsa, who was now staring her expectantly.

"Oh right," Anna said, nodding. She stepped closer to Elsa and pulled out the desk chair, sitting in it with the back against her chest so she could lean her arms on the top. "That dream seemed to bother you a lot… tell me about it."

"I told you that I left home to go tour with a band, right?" Elsa said, choosing her words carefully as she went, like she had done at the gym.

"I think so."

"Well, I only dreamed of the night I left… and my mom's voice calling after me when she discovered I was gone."

"You ran away."

"Yeah. I couldn't live a life I didn't want to live." Elsa picked at her leather gloves moodily. "My mom wanted me to go to college and I just couldn't. I knew it wouldn't make me happy."

"You made a choice for _you_." Anna offered her a kind smile. "There's nothing wrong with that… Then what made the nightmare, well, a nightmare?"

"It was her voice," Elsa whispered, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. "My mom was so… she sounded so scared." She screwed her eyes shut. "I had forgotten how terrified she was when I had left… because all my life I had convinced myself that she didn't care." _Stop talking_. "She had ripped me from my dad, tried to take away my music—" _Elsa, stop it. _"—she was shoving college down my throat and yelled at me when I got home with—" _Shut your fucking mouth!_

Elsa swallowed her words and took in a deep breath.

"Can I not… can I just leave it at that?" she pleaded Anna, her eyes shining.

Anna nodded. "Of course. May I speak?"

"If you want. I don't think I really have a choice in the matter."

"Elsa, do you feel guilty for leaving? Is that a possibility?"

"I don't regret it."

"Regret and guilt are different." The ginger shifted in her chair. "If you really think about it. You might feel guilty about making her frightened but you don't regret leaving to make yourself free. It was up to you and you wanted to do something that made you feel good but it came with a price."

Anna fell silent. She bit down on the supple flesh of her bottom lip as she thought. Elsa tried not to stare at the what was supposed to be an innocent gesture.

_If I could only know how you kissed… how it felt to kiss you… maybe I'd stop acting like a hormonal teenager. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with me? Pull yourself together, you fucking moron._

"Where… where did you used to live?" Anna asked, pulling Elsa out of her inner voice.

"Wisconsin."

"Really? Wow! That's awesome— okay, how about we make a game plan!" Anna leapt to her feet and stood in front of Elsa, her teal eyes suddenly bright. "Are we gonna pass by?"

"Probably… we're gonna be up North again in the middle of this month," Elsa said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Why don't we visit her?"

Elsa's eyes got so big Anna was surprised they didn't fall out of their sockets. Immediately, the blonde was at her feet and gawking at Anna, horrified.

"Are you _insane!?_" Elsa demanded.

"Just a little bit," Anna quipped. "Elsa, this might be good closure for you."

"I don't need any fucking closure!" Elsa wailed, grabbing at her hair and passing her, starting up a pacing route from the closet to Anna and back again. "Not from her! She yelled at me, she was sorry I left, big fucking deal! I don't need anything from her! She's the reason I'm like this! She's the reason I can't decide on who I really am!"

"Elsa?"

"I mean— god fucking dammit!" Elsa kicked over the chair Anna had been sitting in, startling the girl. "I had to hide away so much and be the good girl I always had to be. Sit up straight, do my homework, stay on track! I didn't get a chance to explore myself until I was _seventeen!_" Elsa's fists went to her sides, balled up and shaking. Her blue eyes were wide and angry, but not at Anna.

Never at Anna.

"Elsa," Anna tried weakly. "Look at yourself…" She moved forward and pried open Elsa's hands, gripping them tight with her bare ones, the punk breathing hard. "It's okay, I'm sorry." Icy eyes met teal and Anna flashed her an apologetic smile. "Look, this is my fault. It was silly of me to think I could make things better. I shouldn't have even—"

"No… you're right," Elsa said, closing her eyes and letting her fingers tighten around the younger girl's hands. She counted to ten before she spoke again, eyes still closed. "I'm clearly… I've _always_ been upset about this. I just never told anyone about it before."

"Elsa, I want you to think about it," Anna said, giving her hands a squeeze. "We still have a long way until we even reach Wisconsin. Just think about my idea to see her… maybe this will help you."

"I'm sorry for freaking out like that."

Anna giggled. "It's alright. You tend to bounce back and forth from several different moods. I'm getting used to it as I go along."

* * *

"I'm not so sure that this is a good idea anymore," Sitron said, glancing out the window. "I mean, I'm all for sticking it to the man and stuff but when the man looks like he has a double barrel shotgun, I might reconsider sticking it."

The bus was chugging its way over to the theatre where the band was to play for two nights but some of the town of Weselton who greatly opposed Dry Ice, including the mayor, stood on the sidewalk with several protest signs and one of them— as Sitron pointed out— was even carrying a shotgun.

"Way to stereotype yourselves," Olaf mumbled, joining Sitron on the watch.

"But look!" Anna said excitedly, pointing. "The fans!"

Everyone turned their attention to the group of Dry Ice supporters standing firmly by the theatre and not allowing the protestors to come any closer than they already were. Elsa felt her heart soar with affection for her fans, a big, stupid grin spreading across her face.

"Well, I'll be damned," she said in a hoarse whisper.

"Not everyone in a big asshole," Sitron sighed with relief.

"Hopefully it won't last," Marshmallow said. "No parties. Just play, return to the bus, repeat the next day, then get the hell out of here."

"Sounds great," Elsa agreed.

"Should we try to reason with them?" Anna wondered.

"I don't think we should," Olaf said, grimacing.

"Yeah, they might bust a cap in our asses," Sitron joked.

"Never say that again," Marshmallow groaned.

Elsa was wringing her hands and nibbling on her bottom lip, feeling nervousness rise up to the top of her throat like bile. She really was happy to do this concert, showing the world she wasn't afraid of the haters…

But she secretly was.

She absolutely hated criticism and really wished that this wouldn't tarnish her reputation. She was already— clearly— seen as a nuisance in this town and she hadn't even stepped foot out of the bus. Would other towns try to stop her from performing?

"We're here," Oaken called from the front, making Elsa flinch. "Let's get into the theatre. Anna and I will escort you safely."

"Wait, what? Oaken, I'm not security! I'll be torn to shreds!"

"Relax," the big man assured, grinning. "No one will touch you at all." He cracked his gigantic knuckles, winking down at the roadie. "Not while I'm around."

Anna sighed and scooted off the couch, walking over to Oaken with the three boys following her. Elsa swallowed her fears and put on a brave face.

"Alright. Let's go," she said, her smirk splayed across her lips and her knuckles popping as she flexed her fingers. "I'm ready to show those homophobes of Weaseltown that I'll perform no matter what they say."

The band stepped out of the bus and started making their way towards the theatre. They were greeted by a mixture of boos and cheers but ignored them all, staring straight and chins high. Elsa dug her hands into her pockets and moved closer to Anna as they walked, the ginger returning the gesture by nudging the punk's shoulder with her own, a smile lighting her features.

"You're doing great," Anna told her quietly. "Keep moving."

Without a scratch, they reached the stage door and the stagehand waiting for them ushered Dry Ice inside, trying to keep everyone in one piece. However, a few of the protestors surged forward and started shouting, the fans trying to intervene but weren't enough to keep them at bay.

Elsa caught a few hurtful slurs being tossed at her. Some of the old classics like "faggot" and "dyke" were the most insulting, with good reason, and she was starting to become more angry than afraid.

_I really hope this is the only ignorant town I have to play in_, she thought, her eyes igniting with fury. She had half a mind to turn around and yell right back.

But Anna was doing that for her. It had occurred to her that Anna had stopped walking and was facing the crowd, hot tears in her eyes and her hands on her hips, squawking at them to shut up.

Elsa was reminded that Anna herself was also interested in girls so those comments hurt her, too. The blonde looked at Oaken, who was masking the pain but he must have— at some point in his life— suffered under those horrendous nicknames. They shared similar expressions of disgust and understanding as Olaf and Sitron literally dragged Anna inside with them, the door slamming shut behind the group.

"That was terrible!" Anna cried, wiping underneath her eyes and stomping down the hall.

"That really was," Marshmallow agreed, frowning.

"You didn't have to make a scene, kid," Elsa said.

"They were being rude and obnoxious and downright disgusting!" Anna wailed. "How _dare_ they use such language!?"

"Cowards," Olaf said, his face uncharacteristically dark. "I wanted to punch them all."

"I would have," Sitron said. "I thought they'd just boo us and we'd get over it. I'm not gay but, fuck, those comments stung."

"Let's just get practicing," Elsa sighed. "It's only for two nights, guys. We'll manage. Then it's off to… ah, let's see… Oklahoma City."

"The sooner we're out of here, the better," Anna said firmly.

* * *

After the practice was through, the band sat in the dressing room with some McDonalds that Anna had rushed out to get for them. Elsa wasn't touching her food, merely glaring down at the burger and fries, as if they were mocking her and shouting obscenities at her just like the protestors did.

"You should eat something, Els," Anna said, sitting beside her on the faux leather couch. "I know McDonalds isn't the most healthy of food choices but it was the only thing I could grab without being attacked by those protestors outside."

"It's fine, Anna, I'm just…" Elsa pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm just more nervous about performing than usual."

"Because of the idiots who are just… idiots?" Anna said.

"Depending on which idiots… outside or over there," Elsa manage to joke, nodding at the three boys who were munching on their fries on the couch across from them.

"Har har," Sitron grunted.

"You know which idiots I'm talking about," Anna said, giving her a wry smile.

"Well, they're not storming the area so I think we'll be alright for a while," Olaf said helpfully.

Their hopeful thoughts were cut short, however, when Oaken poked his big head through the door with a sour expression.

"You have a very… insistent visitor," he announced apologetically.

Before he could even tell them who it was, the door swung open and a tiny man passed by Oaken with an air of self entitlement. He was rather thin, almost as if his entire body was made of sticks. His nose was large and beak-shaped, a pair of circular glasses perched on the bridge. He wore an obvious toupee and his mustache was so bushy that it hid his top lip.

Oaken stood in the doorway, not quite comfortable to leave the band alone with the stranger. Dry Ice didn't get up to greet the guy or give him warm smiles— something they would usually do to any fan who had a backstage pass. No, there was something off about this man and they all knew it.

Anna nominated herself the ambassador for Dry Ice and spoke first.

"How can we help you?" she asked coolly.

"I'm the Mayor of Weselton," the man introduced, his voice a thick, nasally sort of sound.

"Ah, yes," Elsa said. "The one who is very… unhappy with our performing here." She leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs. "Do lecture us about how 'my kind' is disgusting and how we shouldn't be playing for your hick town—"

"_Elsa_," Anna warned sharply.

"What? You know that's exactly what he's here to do!" Elsa said, raising her hands defensively.

The Mayor scowled darkly at Elsa, who raised an eyebrow at him in the most uninterested expression she could manage. He looked back at Anna and folded his little twig arms across his chest.

"I am asking you to leave my town. What you're displaying is sinful and can infect the young minds of those coming to see your show!" he spat.

"'What they're displaying?'" Anna repeated, furrowing her brows.

In spite of the situation they were in, Elsa was going to make the best of it as much as she could by hamming it up.

"Oh _no_!" Elsa wailed sarcastically. "They're seeing a lesbian on stage singing!" She made several "oohing" noises and wiggled her gloved fingers in the air. "A lesbian who once questioned her sexuality. Swaying her hips and making everyone else gaaaaaaaaay." She threw her head back and rolled it on her shoulders, as if the devil was possessing her. "Everyone stay away! You'll catch my homosexuality!"

"Oh my god," Anna grinned, trying her hardest to keep a straight face and hiding her head in her hands, giggling against her will.

"We're not trying infect people," Marshmallow said calmly. "That's ridiculous."

"And we're not even singing about being gay in the first place," Sitron added, rolling his eyes as Elsa dramatically attacked Anna by throwing her arms around the poor roadie and started nuzzling her hair with her cheek, begging Anna to cure her.

"Our concerts are about the music," Olaf said firmly. "It's stupid to think otherwise!"

"Elsa, for fuck's sake!" Anna snarled, pushing the cackling singer off of her. "That's enough already!"

"Alright, you're right," Elsa said, sitting in her seat properly. "But in all seriousness, Mayor, we're a band about self expression, self love, and self acceptance. Not everything I do… in fact, hardly anything I do is in relation to me going for girls. Don't let my sexuality overtake what the band is all about."

"Mr. Mayor, sir, you don't need to feel threatened by them," Anna told him gently. "Look at these four." She gestured broadly to them behind her. "They may look like a rough 'n tough gang of punk rockers who do hard drugs and spray paint walls and whatever else the stereotype is but, in reality, they're all basically a bunch of big hearted band geeks."

Dry Ice whipped their heads at Anna, appearing slightly affronted.

"And right now they're all giving me incredulous looks because they've convinced themselves that they're tougher than nails," Anna said, grinning over her shoulder. "I bet each and every one of them cried at the end of Toy Story 3."

"Who _didn't_!?" Sitron demanded.

"People with no souls," Elsa deadpanned.

"Yes," Olaf agreed.

"You see what I mean?" Anna said to the Mayor. "Do they look like they're gonna infect your town with… my god, it's _impossible_ to—"

"I don't care," the Mayor said stubbornly. "I don't approve of this whatsoever!"

"Good for you," Sitron snapped. "But our shows are already sold out!"

"We can't up and cancel them, bud," Olaf said.

"Why don't you scurry back to your little protest group and cry me a river?" Sitron suggested dryly. "Let us play our two show and then we'll be out of your fake hair."

Anna snorted into her fist but tried to play it off as a coughing fit. Elsa smirked and ran her hands through her hair, waiting for the creep to leave. The Mayor sniffed critically before turning on his high heeled boot and trotting out of the room in a huff. Oaken shut the door behind him, the band left alone in a relieved silence.

"What a complete dickhead," Olaf said with a cheerful smile.

* * *

That night on stage, Elsa stood her ground and decided to push a few buttons. It wasn't exactly what everyone would have initially agreed on but the Mayor had given them all a reason to be a tad pissed off, with good reason. So when she had the mic in her leather bound fist and the attention of Weselton's young adult citizens, she asked for everyone to take out their phones and record the speech she was about to give.

When the band was nearly blinded by the lights of recording devices and cellphones pointed at them, Elsa started up.

"I know that a lot of you are only here because of my music. And that's the only reason. But it's a _good_ reason because that's what Dry Ice is all about. The music and the message of self," she began, earning a few cheers and shouts of approval. "Some of you, however, may be aware of the reason protestors are currently outside the theatre… it's because I just so happen to like girls." There were several hoots and someone wolf-whistled. Elsa snickered. "Thank you, darling. The point I'm trying to make is this: we are here for the music. Not to flaunt my sexuality, not to turn anyone gay, and not to raise hell in the eyes of the ignorant. Love is love. And you _should love_ _yourself_ no matter what. I know Weselton is a small town and it's hard to do such. But there's a great big world out there for all of you who are lost, confused, and hurt." She thrust her fist in the air, shouting into the mic, "I want to hear approval! Love yourself right! Now!"

The theatre shook with screams from the fans, their hands preoccupied with their cameras. They stomped on the floor, the shouts becoming a chant of Elsa's name. Anna's ears were ringing backstage and she scolded herself for not wearing any earplugs. But in spite of that, she was proud of Elsa's statement and was clapping with the rest of the crowd. Elsa glanced side stage and caught Anna's eye, winking at her, as if they were sharing a secret that Anna wasn't actually in on.

There was something behind that wink. Something Anna couldn't quite grasp…

* * *

Every single recording of Elsa's little speech went viral on Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Some more than others. But it was the thing every Dry Ice fan was talking about. Elsa had really made an impact on many, many people ("For once," Sitron joked, only to earn a punch in the gut by the blonde.) and it was a trending topic amongst every forum Anna looked up.

She received a call from Rapunzel as she made herself at home in her little bedroom, snuggling up with Mose and skimming through Tumblr, spying gif sets of the band from the fan pages she started to recently follow.

"Holy fuck," was the first thing out of Rapunzel's mouth. "Elsa really… blew a lot of people away."

"You're telling me," Anna said, a small blush falling across her cheeks. "It was really admirable of her. I've never seen her so confident in something before."

"Ooh, look at you," Rapunzel teased.

"What?" Anna demanded, her brows inching together.

"The way your face changed. My, my, my… you have the hots for Elsa, don't you?"

"What!?" Anna grit her teeth but the blush only darkened. "No way!"

"Yes way!"

"Rapunzel, shut up! You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh come _on_. The last time you had that derpy, dorky little face on was when Merida gave you that teddy bear for your two week anniversary! My lord, you were smitten."

"But… I… so what!?" Anna caved, screwing her eyes shut. "She's hot! She's attractive! Elsa is damn… damn… ugh!"

"_Do you understand my conflict now!?_"

"Rapunzel, need I remind you that you're dating _Eugene!?_"

"Okay, first of all, there's a beautiful thing called a three-way—"

"Stop _right_ there."

Rapunzel burst out laughing. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Her face changed to one of seriousness. "Really, Anna. How do you feel?"

Anna sighed hopelessly. "I don't know. I mean, yes, okay, I find her attractive. She's not really my type in an entirety but she has that general stubbornness and inner kindness that pulled me in. Elsa's become concerned for me, she's been letting herself be more loose around me, and even hunted all around Seattle for this guy!" She held up Mose for Rapunzel to see.

"Is that a sloth?"

"Yup."

"Awh! True love!"

"Punzie, this is _not_ love. I'm not in love with Elsa. Attraction and crushing on someone isn't lo—"

"Crushing?"

"My big fat mouth." She shook her head. "The _point_ is that this isn't love! Remember the last time I was convinced I was in love?"

"Hans up and cheated on you with some skank."

"And my heart got broken into a million pieces and Merida managed to stitch it back up. But she moved and now I'm here with these confusing thoughts and feelings about Elsa, who is probably just playing me and giving me attention I like and I'm most likely knocking this entire thing out of proportion and I _hate_ being underneath this spell." Anna pouted. "If that's what you'd call it. It's not like I'm swooning over her or anything. I'm not begging on my knees for her to date me. Maybe if I kissed her, I'd get all these emotions out the door and realize this was no big deal and—"

"Whoa, slow down," Rapunzel said. "Honey, you're gonna lose air when you talk that fast."

"I know," Anna sighed, rubbing the heel of her hand on her forehead. "Elsa probably just considers me as her kid sister— her close friend at best."

"Well, whatever happens, happens." She offered Anna a kind smile. "Don't over think it."

"I'll try." Anna returned the smile. "I should head on to bed. I'll talk to you soon."

"Alright. Stay safe and be good."

"No promises."

The call ended there, Anna holding the phone and staring at it until it locked itself, leaving her in the darkness of her room.

* * *

**Love is love, be who you are, and love yourself. That's not just for Elsa's fans but for all of you :) Gay, straight, bi, it doesn't matter. You're all beautiful and perfect because you're you.**

**Anyway, preachy stuff over. _Ahem_.**

**Both Elsa and Anna have hesitant feelings for each other. They both wish to act on them.**

**Hm.**

**Main Elsanna coming up in about… a chapter and a half. Maybe two.**

**You'll get your award for waiting this long, my loves.**

**I'm sorry that this chapter was delayed. A lot had been going on but I managed to squeeze this out. Frankly, I'm tired of waiting to write Elsanna myself and I wanna get to the good stuff.**

**No flames, you guys. Please. They put a damper on my day.**

**Fav/Follow/Review**

**See you next time!**


	13. Down in New Orleans

**So there's this chapter… then the next one is… the **_**real**_** Elsanna. Reasons leading up to it will ensue in the beginning of that one. For now, have some sexual tension and fluff.**

**This is also more of a filler chapter than most. There's some purpose to it but it's to give the girls a chance to get closer.**

**Thank you for your continued support.**

* * *

They left Weselton faster than a speeding bullet after their second show. They didn't even wait a night to relax and unwind. They loaded up their equipment, Oaken leapt into the driver's seat, and the bus took off into the dead of night. Elsa and Anna were sitting in the roadie's bedroom, watching the town fade into the distance until nothing was around them but the desert, heading towards Oklahoma City.

"Good riddance," Elsa said, folding her arms across her chest and leaning her back on the wall.

She was sitting at the foot of Anna's bed, Anna at the head, playing idly with Mose. For some reason, both girls had decided to hang out in her bedroom, even though there was next to nothing to do in there. The tiny TV was playing a cable news channel because Anna didn't have DirectTV like the front room and Elsa's room did. The anchor was talking about a storm hitting up in Montana and how tornado season was finally coming to a close.

"Are you okay?" she asked Anna, her icy eyes falling on the younger girl.

"Huh? Of course I am," Anna replied, taken slightly aback. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I forgot that you also went for girls at one point," Elsa admitted. "I wasn't hurt as bad… 'cause, fuck, I've been called those names plenty of times before. Oaken, too. But you? I hardly know anything about you."

"Oh." Anna pressed her lips together in thought. "Well, no, I've never been called anything like that before. Arendelle has always been a very open minded community. I might have been teased but it was always only by Merida. We joked around and—" Anna giggled. "—said stupid stuff like 'ha! That's gay!' if we, I dunno, said something really lovey-dovey to one another. But it was an inside joke and we never, ever took it by heart."

"I'm sorry you had to be put through all that," Elsa told her truthfully. "I… I didn't realize how awful they were going to be."

"Hey, it's alright," Anna said with a sad smile. "But I'm more sorry you've been through that kind of torment."

Elsa shrugged apathetically.

"And you said that you don't know anything about me?" Anna said.

"I don't. Hardly your favorite color. I know your phone number. That's it. That, and your romantic backstory. That's not _all_ you."

"Would you like to know?"

The question came out shyly, Anna's cheeks lighting up against her will. It was only a matter of time, after all, for Anna do reveal her not-so-dark past to Elsa. She had been forcing Elsa to come forward with her history and it wasn't very fair.

"Of course," Elsa nodded, smiling genuinely.

"Okay… but if I start to ramble, let me apologize ahead of time," Anna said.

"I've told you before, kid, I like hearing you talk."

"Hold _on_," Anna said, shaking her head. "What is the matter with you?"

Elsa quirked a brow. "What are you talking about?"

"Suddenly you're acting so nice to me!" Anna flailed a hand in the air. "I don't understand! You're perfectly fine with me about to go off on a tangent, talking about my past, and… and… well, you're acting as if we're best friends all of the sudden!"

"I thought we _were_ best friends," Elsa said, forcing herself not to grin.

"Well you— wait, what?"

Elsa rolled her eyes at Anna, the grin creeping across her face. "I let you call me 'Els,' didn't I?"

_But the gloves are still on_, Anna thought. "Yeah… I guess."

"Just roll with it, baby," Elsa teased.

Anna pursed her lips skeptically. "You're _sure_ you want to hear about me?"

"Talk away," Elsa offered, raising a hand to give Anna permission to rant.

The redhead blinked before she took a deep breath and decided to dive into wherever her mind would take her to.

"Alright… let's see. I was born and raised in Arendelle. Dated seriously with two people: Hans and Merida. Otherwise, I kinda kept to myself and my group of friends. Well, actually, I was a big social butterfly during events like football games and homecoming. I talk to just about _any_body." She started to get more comfortable as she went along. "I have a dog named Bluebell and she's a two-year-old beagle.

"My mom runs a little café and my dad is a writer. He's not _famous_ but he has a couple published works out there. My favorite color is green, 'cause it reminds me of springtime. Ooh, I started school early. My parents thought it would be a good idea for me to get a head start so that's why I'm becoming a junior in college at the age of nineteen. It's weird but… hey, I'm alright with it.

"Ooh, I _love_ chocolate. Have I told you that? Maybe I have. It's the best creation ever since sliced bread. I used to sneak chocolate from my parents and sometimes get in trouble when they caught me. I got smart, though, and started keeping a secret stash under my bed. Like drugs but they weren't drugs."

Elsa snorted and Anna grinned at her, stopping herself for a moment.

"Clearly the chocolate wasn't laced with drugs either," Elsa chuckled. "Ever tried 'em before?"

"Goodness no," Anna said, shaking her head. "I mean, no judgement 'cause I know you've tried them but you ended up puking."

"Yeah… it wasn't my proudest moment. Sitron was laughing at me. _He_ was fucking stoned out of his mind."

"My lord," Anna moaned. "Of course he was."

"That was actually how I met him," Elsa admitted. "I was over at his… uncle's house? I think his uncle's house. But Olaf had taken me over there and they decided to try some pot that Sitron found in his dad's room. Olaf passed out, I vomited, and Sitron held it together. We were… fifteen?"

"Really!?"

"Olaf never did it again because he only wanted to try it once. It's obvious to why I didn't."

"And Sitron?"

"Oh, the bastard gets stoned every now and then." Elsa shrugged. "It's not like he does it everyday. He didn't start up until he was older because his dad found out. It's not a common occurrence. I haven't seen him stoned in a long time but once during practice he came over and smelled like he had been watching Beatles videos on loop."

Anna laughed. "Oh my god."

"Anything else to tell me, kiddo?"

"Um… nope, I think I covered everything for the most part." Anna cocked her head to the side. "How about you? Favorite color?"

"Mine is periwinkle. It has such an interesting name." Elsa flushed slightly and scratched the side of her neck. "You know… for a color."

Anna flashed her a smile. "Periwinkle is a nice color. Although, it's kinda cute you like it for its name rather than just the way it looks."

"I do that a lot," Elsa mumbled.

"What's that?"

"Nothing…"

They drifted into a silence, the TV broadcasting the news the only sound in the room. The anchor was now talking of a car crash that happened on some freeway not too far away from where the bus was driving.

"Well… it's getting late," Elsa said, sliding off the bed. "Good talking to you, Anna. Sweet dreams."

"You too, Els," Anna said, waving her goodbye as she left to room. The roadie chewed on her lip as she glanced down at Mose. "What am I gonna do?" she asked the sloth. "I'm insane, aren't I? Liking Elsa…" Her eyes flickered to the door to ensure it was closed and then back down to her toy. She lowered her voice. "I mean, of _course_ I'm insane. I'm asking a stuffed animal."

Mose was silent, staring back up at her with unblinking brown eyes.

"Don't look at me like that," Anna scoffed. "What do you know? You're a sloth." She blinked and leaned her head back, only to smack the back of it with the shelf. "Awh, fucking shit!"

"Anna, watching your fucking language!" Olaf teased from the other room.

Anna grunted, rubbing the smarting part of her head before getting up to change into her pajamas, switching off the TV in the process.

"I used to be a good girl without a potty mouth," she muttered. "I mean, sure, I'd say damn and hell but… ugh." She took off her shirt and bra before pulling on her sleeping shirt. "Whatever."

Anna pulled back her blankets and sank into bed, cuddling with Mose and turning off the lights.

* * *

They had three concerts in Oklahoma City, all of which went smoothly. On the final night, the band decided to attend another after party since it had actually been a while. Anna willingly followed them into a dive bar that was hosting the party, flashing her band ID at the bartender for her drinks.

She was starting to loosen up around the band ("And about time, too!" Elsa had shouted over the boom of the music) and wanted to enjoy herself. Anna even danced with Olaf and Sitron at one point, laughing as they took turns spinning her around and making stupid faces at her. She and Elsa even danced side by side, both them more or less tipsy.

Marshmallow, however, was the only one who seemed to be glued to the wall, his big blue eyes watching the scene before him. Anna stopped her borderline grinding with Elsa— who was the one to coax Anna into getting a little dirty— and frowned.

"What's the matter, kid?" Elsa called, her voice distant in the noise of the bar.

"Just… gimme a minute," Anna replied, brushing the far more inebriated Elsa off of her— and ignoring the voice in the back of her head to continue the dirty dancing.

The roadie approached Marshmallow, whose attention immediately snapped onto her, a concerned expression on his face.

"What's wrong, Anna?" he wondered. "Is Elsa starting to get too risqué for you?"

Anna cracked a smile. "No, no. She's just being Elsa. I wanted to know if you wanted to dance?"

"I'm not much of a dancer."

"Then, how about we get out of here and get a drink at a quieter bar?" she offered.

Marshmallow raised his white brows at her before smiling and nodding. The two of them left the bar together, the other band members not noticing their leave of absence. Elsa had found a fan to dance with for a while, Olaf chatting up a few new friends, and Sitron demanding for more drinks.

"They're a wild crowd," Marshmallow mused as he and Anna strode down the sidewalk.

"They are indeed," Anna agreed, slightly slurring her words.

"You're a bit drunk," he pointed out. "Do you just want to get back to the bus?"

"No, I suggested to you a while ago that we go get a drink together sometime and I want to live up to that." She patted his big trunk of an arm.

"You remember that?" He sounded surprised.

"Oh, sure! I want to be friends with all you guys," Anna chirped. "Olaf and I have been on track, Elsa has suddenly considered herself to be my best friend, and I'm sure Sitron and I are friends." She shrugged. "But you and I hardly got to spend time with one another since we went shopping together back in…" She blew her lips and sounded like a horse for a second. "Was it Santa Fe?"

"Sounds about right."

They made a turn on the street and found themselves in front of a sports bar that looked mostly empty. He opened the door for her and they entered, sitting themselves down at the bar. Marshmallow ordered them beers, becoming more comfortable in a quieter setting. A baseball game was playing on a TV overhead and he kept his eye on the score every so often during the conversation. He didn't want to appear rude and only pay attention to the screen.

"What's our next stop?" Anna asked him, clinking their bottles together in a toast to nothing in particular. "Oklahoma City was a blur."

He laughed. "It gets like that some days." He took a large swig of his beer before responding to original question. "Next stop is New Orleans."

"_Really_!?" she said, lighting up like a firecracker. "I've always wanted to go there! I have a friend who has her own restaurant there! She was my pen pal in middle school and we just kept talking."

"Is she a kind of friend who'll leave you alone in a bar?" Marshmallow said darkly, still not over the event in Seattle.

"Oh, I'm over that," she told him gently. "They apologized to me. I mean, yeah it was a pretty shitty thing to do, but who knows what really went down. I can hardly remember what made them do it." She smiled. "But no, Tiana isn't one of those people. She's incredibly sweet and her husband is _hilarious_."

"We're playing a couple nights down there," he said, much cheerier than before. "Maybe we can stop in and eat at her place."

"I would _love_ that," Anna sighed. "About time we do something that's nice instead of roaming the streets for junk food and stuff."

"Are you enjoying the tour thus far, though?"

"I am. I'll admit, I was skeptical in joining you guys… but you're all much kinder and considerate than you let on. And I've come to love all of you." She took a drink. "I'm gonna miss touring with you when time is up. You'll drop me off in Arendelle and then return to Wisconsin… if that's where you guys will go."

"Maybe," he said. "But you're impossible for us to forget, Anna." He clapped a bear paw sized hand on her shoulder. "We'll come visit you."

"You better," Anna warned him, wagging a finger in his face. "Or I'll be a creepy Tumblr, Twitter, _and_ Facebook stalker 'til you do. Leave messages like, 'hey guys, remember me?' And slap an evil face on there for effect. Maybe some cryptic messages about how I know where you live but it'll be under a different name. Freak all of you out."

He let out a single bark of laughter. "Please do! I think it will entertain us for a while."

"No it's not fun when you know who it is!" she reasoned.

"You're right, you're right," he chuckled, shaking his big head.

The bar erupted in a loud roar from the few patrons inside, someone hitting a home run in the baseball game. Marshmallow frowned— the team who was winning was not the one he wanted. Anna nursed her beer for a few minutes, the noise dying down in the background.

"Hey, Marshmallow…" She gazed up at him from beneath her eyelashes.

"Hm?"

"How'd you meet Elsa?"

"Oh, it's not an interesting story. Elsa and I met through Olaf. My brother had her over one afternoon. I must have been about thirteen or fourteen when I met her." He clinked his fingernails on the glass bottle. "She was sweet. Wore those glasses and everything back then. She told you about that, right?"

"Yeah. Olaf, too."

He smiled distantly. "She was really something. I crushed on her for about a month."

"Awh!" Anna giggled. "How cute."

"She shot me down, though."

Anna's smile evaporated. "Oh…" She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I'm sorry."

"It's no big deal," he said with a massive shrug of his shoulders. "It was a silly little crush that Olaf constantly teased me about. I'm sure he liked her sometime, too."

"Does everyone crush on her!?" Anna groaned, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "Why is she so damn crushable?"

Marshmallow looked at her strangely. "What makes you say that?"

It dawned on Anna that she almost revealed her attraction to Elsa to Marshmallow and decided to clamp her mouth shut before she said anything else stupid.

"Just… her fans," she whimpered before putting the bottle to her lips and taking a large swig, only to have it go down the wrong pipe and making her choke on it.

His eyes widened as he thumped her hard on the back, the poor redhead coughing hard into the crook of her arm.

"You alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Y-yeah," she croaked, swallowing hard. "I'm good, I'm great. Thank you."

After another round of drinks, they took off to the bus. Anna was getting sleepy with each step, leaning her tiny head on the large arm of her friend. He placed a protective arm around her shoulders and led her to their home. When they arrived, Elsa was passed out on the couch, Olaf in his bunk, and Sitron's arms dangling out of his bunk, almost hitting the guitarist in the face.

"You should get some sleep, kid," Marshmallow whispered to Anna. "See you in the morning on the way to New Orleans."

"I can't wait," Anna gurgled, smiling drunkenly up at him.

* * *

Her hangover wasn't terrible the next morning. She went through her morning routine of taking over the bathroom, showering, brushing her teeth and hair, dressing, and cleaning her piercing. With her pajamas in the drawer and hair pulled back into a lazy ponytail, she entered the front room ready to face the day.

Elsa was in the booth, eating a bowl of cereal with Olaf sitting across from her, also eating cereal. The box was in between them so it gave off the appearance of the two of them in a commercial for Frosted Flakes, Olaf and Elsa playing the roles of siblings who sort of looked like one another.

Marshmallow was beside his brother but was eating some toast, his eyes glued shut with tiredness.

"Good morning," Anna greeted quietly, Sitron's bunk curtains still drawn and indicating he was still snoozing off the night. She slid inside to sit next to Elsa. "How is everyone today?"

"Tired," Marshmallow muttered.

"Hungry," Olaf said through a mouthful of cereal.

"Hungover," Elsa grunted, rubbing her temple.

"Great," Anna smirked. "Are we looking forward to New Orleans?"

"I am!" Olaf grinned, perking up slightly. "I haven't been in the longest time."

"You went to New Orleans!?" Anna gasped, looking at him with newfound respect.

"Yup. I went with the band in high school," he said.

"Aren't you hungry?" Elsa asked Anna, glancing at her. "We have more cereal if you want any."

"Sure," Anna nodded, getting to her feet and grabbing a bowl from the cabinet and a spoon from the drawer. She sat back down and poured herself some cereal, the others staring at her oddly. "What?"

"You're not putting milk in there?" Elsa wondered, pointing at the breakfast for the roadie.

"No, I don't like milk in my cereal," Anna said, blinking and cocking her head to one side.

They gawked at her.

"This… that's not weird," Anna defended firmly, sticking her spoon in the dry cereal. "I just don't like it when they get soggy."

"But the milk is the best part," Olaf argued.

Anna merely rolled her eyes and ate her cereal as it was, eliciting winces from the other three. She told them to knock it off, continuing to enjoy her breakfast in peace. The three band members exchanged incredulous looks before finishing off their own meals.

When Sitron woke up and the dishes were in the sink, they occupied their time with alternating turns on Assassin's Creed. Whenever someone would die, they'd have to pass it off to another player. It was unfortunate for everyone when Elsa started to play because she was actually very good at scaling the walls and jumping from buildings. It took about twenty guards in what was basically Vatican City to finally take her down so Olaf could get a turn.

They made a stop in a small down near the border of Louisiana for lunch and to refill the bus with some gas. Anna took that opportunity to message Tiana on Facebook with news of her arrival in New Orleans that evening.

She got a reply back almost at once, Tiana excitedly inviting Anna and the rest of the band to stay with her while she was in town. She and Naveen, her husband, had plenty of room, according to her and any meals eaten at her restaurant would be free of charge.

"A free place to stay and free meals," Elsa said approvingly when Anna told them of Tiana's generosity. "I like this friend better than your Seattle assholes."

"This'll be the first time Tiana are meeting face-to-face," Anna giddily. "We've video chatted over Facebook a few times but never actually came into contact, of course."

"I can't wait to meet her," Olaf said. "She sounds awesome."

With the bus full of gas and their stomachs full of fast food, they boarded their mobile home and headed off to the bayou that was New Orleans. The closer they got, the more excited Anna became. She was practically vibrating with pent up excitement on the couch, watching Sitron as he attempted to climb the Colosseum in the start-up game of Assassin's Creed.

"Shouldn't we be playing the game that takes place in New Orleans to get in the mood?" Marshmallow suggested.

"I would but we didn't bring that along with us," Elsa said.

"Bummer," Olaf said. "Sitron, you're gonna fall."

"I am not," Sitron grunted, moving the joysticks as he scaled the exterior. "I'll get up there!"

"You're actually gonna fall," Elsa warned him.

"Stop saying that!" Sitron shouted.

As soon as that left his mouth, he moved Ezio just the wrong way so he leapt off the building prematurely, causing him to plummet to the earth.

"Parachute!" Olaf cried.

"We don't have that yet!" Sitron wailed, pressing random buttons.

And with that, Sitron was desynchronized.

"My turn," Elsa said, swiping the remote from him.

* * *

"Hello, New Orleans!" Anna cheered, bursting from the bus as soon as they parked in front of the Tiana's Place restaurant, directions given to Anna a couple hours before. "My name is Anna and I'm ready to love you!"

The sky was a deep navy blue, rolling clouds hanging low in the sky. A few drops of humid rain were falling onto her but she didn't care. It wasn't bad like Seattle was, with rain tumbling from the sky in heaps. She knew that New Orleans, however, could do much more than a simple sprinkle.

"This is so exciting!" she cooed, running in circles on the sidewalk.

She could smell the ocean from where she was standing, Tiana's Place resting near the docks. The restaurant itself looked like a riverboat with a turquoise neon sign bearing the name of the place. The lights were on, casting an orange glow on the area around the bus. A few people were walking in and out, indicating that it was still open for business.

"Wow," Elsa said, impressed. "That's one pretty lookin' building."

"What's that smell?" Olaf said, his stomach growling. "I want everything in there. It smells so good."

"Well, c'mon, you guys! Let's go inside!" Anna encouraged, beckoning them over as she started rushing towards the entrance.

The four plus Oaken followed her into Tiana's Place, immediately greeted with the sounds of jazz and scrumptious smells of foods of all kinds. The place was packed in spite of it being ten o'clock at night, waiters and waitresses running around with trays stuffed with delicious looking gumbos and beignets.

"Well fuck," breathed Sitron.

"The band is great," Elsa complimented. "Who is that playing the trumpet?"

The stage was on the far side of the restaurant but the music was brilliant enough to capture her attention. The man playing the trumpet was on the heavier side with coffee colored skin. His black hair was cut short and he was sporting a clean trimmed beard. He wore an olive green suit that looked as if it came from the nineteen twenties but was rocking it perfectly.

His fingers were controlling the trumpet with a magic Elsa greatly respected, so deep into his talent and love for music. His improvisation was incredible, the band following along with him in sync.

A short scream cut Elsa out of her examination of the trumpet player. She turned her attention to a thin woman rushing through the crowd of people in a festive flappers outfit, fitting in with the rest of the ambiance of the restaurant.

"Tiana!" Anna cried at the woman, opening her arms and enveloping the woman in a fierce hug.

"Anna!" was the reply. "It's so good to finally meet to in person, honey!"

"Likewise!" Anna giggled. "Oh my gosh, Tia, this place is Fabulous with a capital F!" They pulled apart, both eyes sparkling with joy. "I really can't believe I'm here!"

"Well, you're here," Tiana said, laughing. "And this is Dry Ice, I presume." She sized up the band with a kind smile. "Yes, I've heard all about you from my friend Charlotte. She'll most likely want to meet you all. I'm more of a jazz fan, myself."

"We noticed," Sitron said. "The band is actually pretty great."

"Who's the trumpet player?" Elsa asked.

"Oh, that's Louis," Tiana said. "He and I go way back. He's been playing the trumpet since he was little. Very passionate about it. He and his band, The Firefly Five Plus Lou, have been playing here for a long time." She put her hands on hips. "But where are my manners? You're in my town now! You deserve a proper meal. Have you all eaten dinner yet?"

"No, we're starving!" Olaf jumped in, clutching his stomach.

Tiana grinned. "Well, then you need some good food in those stomachs." She called off to her right to a man as he served a table their dinner. "Naveen, hon!"

The man called glanced up and held one finger in the air to tell her to give him a minutes. As soon as he finished, he bounded over and smiled brightly.

"What is it, lilypad?" he asked affectionately.

"We need a table for our esteemed guests," Tiana said, gesturing to Dry Ice.

"Is that so?" Naveen said, eyeing the band up and down. "Then they need the VIP section right in front of the stage!"

"Sounds great," Elsa said, actually smiling and feeling a warmth of welcome in her stomach. It was a nice change from the ice cold anxiety she had been feeling since Texas. "Thank you so much."

"It's not a problem," Naveen said, bowing deeply and theatrically to them, Tiana rolling her eyes at him. "Shall we, princess?"

"Which girl are you talking to?" Anna said.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm no princess," Elsa smirked, nudging Anna in the ribs. "This one is as princess-y as you can get."

Anna flushed and pouted at her, pretending to look offended when she actually thrilled at the thought of Elsa calling her princess. Tiana excused herself from the group to go and help out at another table and eventually the kitchens as Naveen led them over to their table.

"Louis!" Naveen called up tot he trumpet player. "Play our guests the best jazz that New Orleans has to offer!"

* * *

Elsa was belting out the last note of "Let It Go," stuck in a power stance with her eyes screwed shut. The crowd beneath her was cheering like crazy, jumping up and down, chanting her name as if she were some god-like entity. Elsa finally dropped to her knees and thrust a fist in the air, the song over, earning an explosion of praise.

Tiana, Naveen, Louis, and Charlotte were sitting side stage with Anna, mouths hanging open in awe— Lottie having to lean against the wall to stop her from passing out.

"You get to see this every day? Naveen said to Anna, eyebrows raised.

"Not every single day but a majority of the time," Anna confirmed. "The song has… it's become a little much for me but I deal with it."

"It's all Lottie has been playing for months on end," Louis mumbled, earning a dignified swat on the arm by the blonde.

As the cheers died down, Elsa and the band rushing off stage with elation written all over their faces, Anna led their guests to the dressing room so they could all talk without shouting over the noise.

With everybody settled inside, water bottles being passed around to them, they began to strike up idle conversation. They were all planning on leaving to meet up with Tiana's friend Ray so he could show them where he worked, claiming he and Anna had very similar jobs and insisted he could give her some tips on making the work easier. But before they could, they were giving Dry Ice a moment to catch their breath.

Olaf was chatting Lottie up politely, grinning at her enthusiasm over meeting him. She was gushing about how she absolutely adored him the most out of all the them, which had initial shocked Olaf because he had never had such a dedicated fan. Anna could spy Sitron steaming in the corner with slight jealousy, mumbling over his water.

Before she could approach him, Elsa had stumbled over and threw an arm around Anna's shoulder.

"So, kiddo," she said, "how are you liking your visit to New Orleans so far?"

"It's been wonderful," Anna replied honestly. "I'm honestly so excited to see what Ray has to show me."

"Let me tell you something, though," Elsa said wisely, tapping Anna on the side of her head with her other hand. "I definitely like these friends more than those assholes back in Seattle."

"You didn't even meet them. And can't we just let it go?"

Elsa snorted and sang, "_let it go, let it go!_" before Anna elbowed her in the ribs.

"Awh you're so mean to me," Elsa teased, pressing an overly affectionate kiss to Anna's temple, leaving the roadie slightly stunned.

"You're one to talk," Anna managed to stutter out before she wriggled her way out of Elsa's side hug.

Elsa was snickering as she knocked back a swig of water. Anna decided to be a little shit right back to Elsa and hit the bottom of her bottle so the water went into Elsa's face.

"Fuck!" Elsa swore, wiping off her wet face and glaring at the laughing redhead.

"Whoops," Anna smirked.

"Well played," Elsa sniffed, capping her drink. "I'll get you back somehow."

"Challenge accepted," Anna said.

* * *

Ray worked backstage in a theatre where many low budget and unknown plays took place. One of the actresses in the acting troupe was his girlfriend, Evangeline, and he was very excited to introduce her to the newcomers.

He was waiting for them outside the stadium where the band was playing, his pale face lighting up at the sight of his friends walking up to him. He waved enthusiastically, as if that would beckon them over faster than the pace they were going.

Ray was a small, stringy man with bright red hair and messy scruff on his chin. He was missing several teeth, Anna noted, when he smiled and his brown eyes were slightly bloodshot yet full of life. When he spoke, it was a slurred southern accent but it was still incredibly charming for a character like him.

"How ya'll been?" he greeted as they stopped in front of him. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes, let's!" Tiana said cheerfully.

The group moved as one, their voices filling the muggy New Orleans air. It was a good change from bar hopping or partying, Elsa admitted. And Anna was excited to see the backstage of a theatre and learn some of the ropes so that was a plus.

As a small, beat up theatre came into view, Ray stopped on the sidewalk and sighed dreamily.

"There she is," he whistled, his eyes drifting up to the theatre's balcony where a very pretty girl with golden blonde hair stood. "The sweetest gal in all creation."

"That's Evangeline?" Anna whispered.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Ray said, gazing at Anna.

"Gorgeous," Anna breathed with appreciation.

"Wow, Ray," Sitron chuckled. "She sure knows how to pick a diamond in the rough—"

Elsa elbowed the bassist. "Hush."

Evangeline glanced down at the large group outside the theatre and smiled, her blue eyes sparkling like stars in the sky. Ray— being incredibly dramatic but romantic nevertheless— got down on one scrawny knee and placed his hands on his heart.

"Ma Belle Evangeline," he said to her. "_Je t'adore_."

Elsa leaned close to Anna's ear and said, "I adore you."

"_Je t'aime_," Ray said.

"I love you," Elsa said.

Anna flushed and threw Elsa a terribly embarrassed and astonished look. Elsa rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

"I'm just translating!" she defended with a scoff. "I told you I speak French, remember?"

And as if Ray was in a Disney movie, he started to serenade Evangeline with a love ballad, Louis playing along on his trumpet. All thoughts to the theatre tour were gone from their minds. Olaf decided to dance with Lottie in the middle of the empty road, the girl giggling like crazy. Naveen and Tiana struck up a small waltz themselves. Marshmallow and Sitron looked on, the two patting out a beat on their hips in time with the song.

Elsa held out her hand to Anna, smiling softly.

"Want to dance?" she said.

"Wait, what? Who are you and what have to done to Elsa?" Anna demanded.

Elsa shrugged. "Let's get carried away for a night, yeah?"

"You don't seem like a formal dancer," Anna mumbled.

"Gimme a chance, kid," Elsa said, taking Anna's hand and leading her in a clumsy sway, the redhead rather flustered.

"This just… what's happening?" Anna wondered, her Docs stumbling over Elsa's combat boots.

"I have no idea," Elsa laughed. "But I think I like it."

"New Orleans, man," Anna said.

It was the most random, ridiculous, and corny thing Anna had ever experienced. Dancing with Elsa in the middle of a New Orleans street with someone serenading his love with all his heart. Ray continued to sing, Evangeline grinning down at him with red cheeks. Louis and Marshmallow exchanged wise looks and continued to accompany Ray in his song.

They allowed themselves to be taken away in the magic of New Orleans for one night.

* * *

**This chapter was cheesy, cliché but so **_**fucking fun to write**_**.**

**It's a filler, my loves. It's not supposed to move to plot that much further. But worry not, next Sunday will introduce a new chapter and the true Elsanna begins. I promise.**

**idktheymighttrysomethingwaitwhatididntsayanything**

**There'll be some drama, though.**

**Fav/Follow/Review (no flames, please)**

**See you next time!**


	14. Demons

**I. Am. So. Excited. For. This. Chapter.**

**My loves… enjoy.**

* * *

The goodbye between Tiana and Anna was tearful and they were struggling to let each other go so Anna could board the bus and they could move along to the next stop in North Carolina.

It took all of Anna's willpower to step away from her friend, wipe underneath her eyes, and bit her farewell. Tiana bombarded Anna with a command to visit New Orleans again as soon as she got the chance. Anna promised her, crossing her heart, and made a mental note to eat more of Tiana's food the next time she visited. The rest of the band shook hands and exchanged hugs with Tiana's little gang, wishing them well. Lottie was literally sobbing into Louis' shoulder, autographs in her dainty grip. Olaf had to pry the girl off of him awkwardly when she embraced him, not wanting to hurt the poor girl's feelings in any way.

Tiana gave Anna a kind peck on the cheek before the redhead had to follow Elsa onto the bus. She watched with tears in her eyes as Oaken pulled away from Tiana's Place, the restaurant getting smaller and smaller as they left along the busy streets.

"You'll see her again, kid," Elsa assured, squeezing Anna's shoulder. "Hell, maybe if you join us on our next tour, we'll swing by New Orleans."

"Yeah! Besides, I need some more of that gumbo," Olaf said, rubbing his stomach pleasantly. "I shoulda taken some for the road."

"I think it's better fresh," Marshmallow said.

"I'd take it in any form. As long as it's Tiana's," Olaf replied, sinking into the couch. "Alright, who's up for a round of Mario Kart?"

They had a long while until they all reached North Carolina so it was a long road trip of moping around the giant mechanical motor monster. Anna took to studying again, burying her face into her work and trying to keep her mind off of things. Elsa locked herself in her room in order to attempt to write a song. The boys were playing games or talking in the front room, Anna occasionally joining them when she wanted to take a break from her heavy books and graphite pencils.

Elsa only showed her face once for lunch that afternoon they had left New Orleans behind. She ate, talked with them for a while, and then retreated back inside. Anna remained in the booth with a light reading book in her grip to put her mind at ease, staring after the punk.

"She's really stressing herself out with that song," Anna mused.

"The thing about Elsa," Sitron said, shoving his side into Olaf as they raced against one another, "is that she's a hard core perfectionist. The song has to be perfect. One hundred percent, no flaws, no hairline mistakes. If Elsa isn't satisfied, then the song is garbage."

"Kai gets really frustrated with that," Marshmallow said from his bunk.

"Elsa claims that perfection is a gift and a curse," Olaf added, fighting Sitron back.

"Why doesn't she get someone else to write her songs?" Anna wondered.

"Because Elsa feels that it's not authentic enough," Olaf chuckled. "I told her that even the greatest singers have their work written for them sometimes but she refuses to believe it."

"Arrogant," Sitron grumbled.

Anna pursed her lips at him but didn't say anything else, her eyes falling down to the words on the page.

Night was falling as they crossed over into Alabama, the bus starting to shudder, in need of gas. Oaken was also beginning to doze off and he wanted to ensure his passengers were safe. So he pulled into a rest stop and filled the bus up with fuel, the band and Anna poking around a liquor store together.

"Million dollar question, Anna," Elsa said to her, a shelf in between the two of them.

"Hm?" Anna said, perusing the chip section with lidded eyes.

"Snickers or Baby Ruth?" Elsa held up the two full sized bars in question, pressing her lips together in a form of seriousness.

"Uh…" Anna raised her gaze up to stare at Elsa. "I'd go with the Snickers…"

"Wrong!"

"What? No. You gave me to options—"

"There's always the option of neither, baby." Elsa smirked, putting back the candy bars. "And when there's neither, you can pick up one of these devils." She lifted a king-sized Hershey's bar. "Wanna split it with me? You said you like chocolate."

Anna smiled. "Oh, sure! Sounds great. Do you want some of my chips?" Anna showed off her Doritos bag.

"Yeah, it'll be great," Elsa said, rounding the shelf to meet up with the roadie. "We'll get stoned, have some chips and chocolate and then—"

"_Elsa_!" Anna complained.

The blonde laughed. "I'm joking, kid! Chill out."

"But can we still have chips and chocolate?" Anna squeaked.

"Of _course_ we can have chips and chocolate. In fact—" Elsa returned to the candy isle and took out five more bars of the Hershey's chocolate. "We can have three each, kid. How does that sound?"

"Divine," Anna sighed.

"I'm so glad," Elsa teased, putting an arm around Anna's shoulders as they headed over to the line, the three boys still mulling over what they wanted to snack on. Anna allowed herself to snuggle up to Elsa as the punk continued to speak. "Just remind me to stop by a gym soon. After all this chocolate I may need a long session of punching that bag."

"Pssh, chocolate isn't gonna do anything," Anna scoffed. "It's a gift from the heavens so what harm can it do?"

"I won't be able to stop eating it."

"Touché, Elsa. Been there, done that."

Elsa snorted and tossed the candy onto the counter, grabbing Anna's chip bag along with them.

"I'm buying," she insisted.

"Ooh, how noble of you, Madame Elsa," Anna laughed. "Paying for my chips. No wonder you make all the girls swoon."

"You better believe it, baby," Elsa winked, pulling out her wallet.

With items bought and the band regrouped in front of the store, they returned to the bus for a couple of movies, the five of them huddled together on the couch while Oaken snoozed in his big seat. The light of the film fell gently across the glowing eyes of each young adult, captivating them in the plot line.

Somewhere in the middle of the second movie, Sitron passed out on the second couch, Olaf and Marshmallow began a game of cards, Elsa had returned to her room, and Anna was on her phone, not paying much attention to the film anymore. It was the cue to shut everything down and head to bed.

So Olaf kicked Sitron awake as Anna bid them goodnight, knocking on Elsa's door and telling her the same. She earned a soft response, feeling her stomach warm up against her will. But she went with the feeling and went to her bedroom for the night.

* * *

"You guys!" Elsa shouted from her room, bursting from the confines with her laptop in her hands. "Kai just sent me an email!"

They were in another pitstop but had landed in Atlanta this time around. Anna had departed from the bus to go grocery shopping, finding that their water bottle level was dangerously low. So it was just Dry Ice on the bus, Oaken having accompanied Anna so he could pick up a few things for himself as well.

"About what?" Olaf asked as Elsa threw herself into the booth beside him.

"The posters!" Elsa cheered. "Our first official posters!"

"No fucking way!" Sitron shouted, cramming himself into the booth so Elsa was squished between him and Olaf.

"Yeah, but he wants to Skype us first," Elsa said, logging into her Skype. "He said he wants to see our faces."

"I can't wait!" Olaf clapped as his brother lumbered over to hover behind the three.

Elsa clicked on Kai's name to call and he popped up on the screen, beaming and clasping his hands together in anticipation.

"Ah, yes, Dry Ice!" he chirped. "How are we all this fine day?"

"Spectacular," Elsa said, rolling her eyes. "Kai, can't we get to the point?"

"Of course, of course," Kai sighed, the sounds of typing and clicking coming from his end of the line. "Now these will hang during your big night in New York. I trust, Elsa, that you'll be finished with at least… one song?"

Elsa laughed nervously. "Workin' on it…"

"Hm." Kai sent the email with the pictures and nodded. "Alright, Elsa. Open the files."

The boys gathered even closer to her so they could get a proper look at their posters. Elsa clicked on the first one to reveal a full body image of herself singing into a mic. The background looked as if a blizzard was raging behind her, her name in black stamped at the bottom.

She went to the next one where she was glancing over her shoulder almost lazily at whoever was staring at the poster, silhouettes of the other band members behind her. The band name was across Elsa's back and the nights they would be playing at the bottom.

As she continued to click, the boys realized how little they appeared in any of the posters. They didn't even have one dedicated to them respectively. Elsa, however, didn't seem to notice that at all and kept clicking, her face lighting up.

"Oh, Kai," she whispered. "They're great."

"Kai, what the actual fuck?" Olaf barked.

"What's the problem?" Kai asked, his brow furrowing.

"What's the problem!?" Sitron repeated. "Why is Elsa the attention whore? Where are our posters?"

"Guys, they're fine," Elsa defended.

"Yeah, you'd think so because your face is plastered all over 'em!" Sitron snapped.

"Are there anymore?" Marshmallow said to their manager.

Kai colored. "Ah… well… no. Elsa's photo-shoot proved to be the most successful—"

"Are you telling me I stood stalk still with that bass around my neck for hours on end for _nothing_!?" Sitron wailed.

"Sitron, calm down," Elsa tried to console.

"No!" Olaf shot at her. "We're a part of the band, too, and we deserve some recognition for once!"

"Hey, do you think _I_ make these decisions?" Elsa snarled.

"You should say something," Marshmallow grunted.

"I can't believe you're that far up your own ass!" Sitron growled, scooting out of the booth to get as far away from Elsa as possible.

"Don't you go blaming me!" she cried, following him out of the booth, Olaf coming in third.

"Uh… I can see this is personal," Kai mumbled.

"Kai, you better not fucking run like a coward!" Olaf yelled. "We still have a bone to pick with you, too!"

But their manager had already logged off, leaving Elsa to fend for herself in this battle. Elsa rolled her eyes and kicked at the ground.

"Whatever," she said. "It's what's gonna happen, you guys. It's not my fault I'm more popular."

"You're more popular!?" Sitron shouted, flailing his hands wildly. "Well, no fucking shit! We barely get any recognition from the fans! Elsa, Elsa, Elsa! It's all about pretty, perfect Elsa!"

"I'm just giving what the fans want!" Elsa spat.

"Elsa, think practically!" Olaf begged, moving forward so he could face her. "Yes, you're popular 'cause you're the lead singer and everything. We get it. We've also been putting up with your inflating ego ever since the band started to get good reviews. It's a natural response, we understand!" His fists clenched. "But I'll be damned if we don't get some posters to ourselves! We're not asking much, are we?"

"You heard what Kai said," Elsa said stubbornly. "These are the final prints! I don't have control over—"

"That's the thing," Marshmallow said quietly. "You _do_ have control. You just choose not to use it."

"What are you talking about?" Elsa demanded.

"You can call Kai and tell him you're not happy about the posters and to pull the entire thing!" Sitron suggested harshly, stomping over and poking her hard in the chest.

"I'm not gonna do that!" Elsa said, smacking away his hand. "It's been processed and approved!"

"By you!" Olaf pointed out.

"Do you know the kind of trouble we'd be in if we just decided to get rid of the entire thing?" Elsa said, pulling at her hair. "The money it would cost!?"

"Boo-fucking-hoo!" Sitron threw his hands in the air.

"Elsa, use your common sense," Marshmallow pleaded. "We're really not asking much considering…"

"Considering what?" Elsa growled at him, making the sensitive guy flinch. "What, Marshmallow!? Pray tell me!"

"Don't yell at my brother!" shouted Olaf, marching in between Elsa and Marshmallow.

"I'm head honcho and I call the shots!" Elsa said firmly. "And the posters remain as is! That's final!"

There was a ringing silence, the words settling over them like dust after an earthquake. Elsa's chest was heaving and she had tears shining in her eyes. Marshmallow was fumbling with his hands, Olaf was glaring at Elsa, and Sitron was tapping his feet impatiently.

Something was heavy in the air… something left unsaid and everyone could feel it. The arrogance of Elsa was painstakingly obvious to them all— all but Elsa herself. She merely sniffed and straightened her back in a dignified manner, pushing by Olaf, grabbing her laptop, and storming into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

The boys stood, rooted to the floor. Olaf let out a frustrated noise and kicked the door to the bathroom. Marshmallow leaned his great body against the kitchen counter, his big eyes meeting Sitron's tired ones.

"I don't know what we're gonna do with her," Marshmallow voiced shakily. "This isn't the first fight we've had…"

"Right but they never involved Elsa hogging the limelight," Olaf said, running his hands over his face.

"Where's Anna when you need her?" Marshmallow whispered, unheard by the other two. "She'd sort this out."

"I can't take this anymore," Sitron said, shaking his head. "Seriously…"

"What are you talking about?" Olaf quirked a brow at the bassist as he started to pace.

"I love Elsa. She's an amazing singer and a loyal friend but I can't be around her if she's going to allow this ego of hers be the only thing this band stands on." He ripped off his gloves and threw them onto the ground. "I wear these stupid things for her! I play along with all her shenanigans! And what do I… what do _we_ get? Squat!"

Olaf and Marshmallow stared down at the gloves solemnly. They knew very well that Sitron had a valid point. They too were tiring of Elsa's queen-like arrogance… and she wasn't backing down. She wasn't even defending them in something that could be handled so easily.

It wasn't too much to ask, Marshmallow was right. Posters shouldn't have been that big of a deal at all.

"What are you thinking, Sitron?" Olaf questioned.

"I'm done," Sitron croaked.

"What?" Marshmallow gaped.

"I'm finished. I don't want to get to New York and only see her face plastered everywhere." The bassist folded his arms across his chest. "I don't think I even want to get to New York at all. No one would be there to see us. Just Elsa…"

Olaf bit his lip and nodded slowly. "You're right. If she can't see past this tiny thing, then I don't see why we should stick around to be her whipping boys."

"Let's not be hasty," Marshmallow warned.

"Marsh, do you wanna be pushed around by Elsa anymore? We'll give her an ultimatum. It's either she tells Kai no about the posters or we're gone," Olaf said, removing his own gloves. "She can't do this on her own and she knows that."

"Fine by me," agreed Sitron, heading over to her room. He rapped hard on the door and called, "Elsa, open up! We need to talk!"

There was a thumping noise and then the door was pulled open, revealing a very disgruntled Elsa.

"What?" she hissed.

"Elsa, we've had it up to here with this," Olaf told her.

"Yeah," Sitron added. "We need you to choose right now—"

"—Us… or the posters," Olaf offered, his palms facing up.

Elsa's brows inched together and she gaped at him. "You're joking."

"No. Not joking," Olaf said grimly. "Elsa, we're fed up with so much, you have no idea."

Elsa looked from Olaf to Sitron to Marshmallow and back again. She leaned on the doorframe and scoffed, appearing rather betrayed.

"You guys, I'm not going to sink to your level of bargaining," she said sharply. "The posters are there to stay. I'm sorry."

"I am too," Olaf said, grimacing.

"We're done, Elsa," Sitron said.

Elsa's face fell. "You were serious?"

"Do you think we wanted to joke about something like this?" Sitron replied, turning around. "I'm calling my dad and hopefully he'll send me some cash to fly back home."

"Make it three," Olaf added, following Sitron out.

"H-Hey!" Elsa called after them as they started to leave. "You can't do this! We're a band!"

"Yeah, we are," Sitron sighed. "But last time I checked, there wasn't an 'i' in band… and it certainly wasn't spelled e-l-s-a."

"You can't go!" Elsa yelled. "Come back here! We still have a tour to do!"

They ignored her, leaving Elsa and Marshmallow in the bus. Elsa looked at him helplessly, her face searching his for answers.

"Marshmallow?" she whimpered.

He closed his eyes and peeled off his gloves, letting them fall to the floor as he tailed after his brother and his friend. Elsa was left standing alone in the middle of the front room, everything looking far too big for her on her own. She didn't know how long she had been standing there. It could have been seconds, minutes… hell, it could have been hours. But it felt like an eternity to her and she was devastated at what she had done to reap her of her dearest friends.

"What… what have I…" Elsa swallowed hard and covered her mouth with her gloved hand to hide a choking sob, staggering backward in horror. "Guys! W-wait! I was wrong!"

She made a break for it, rushing towards the front door and onto the sidewalk. She turned right and left but they weren't in sight. Elsa felt terror creep up on her and she let out a furious scream, yanking hard at her platinum locks before retreating into the bus, hating herself.

* * *

"Oh my goodness!" Anna chirped as she climbed onto the bus with bags of groceries in her arms. "You guys wouldn't _believe_ what I almost did! Really, you're all gonna have a nice laugh at me." She entered the front room, giggling. "I swear, I really can be the biggest klutz…" Anna trailed off, realizing that there was nobody present to hear her tall tale.

She peered around the area, noticing three pairs of gloves abandoned on the floor. Cocking her head to one side, Anna scuttled over to the booth to rest the grocery bags on the table.

"Hello?" Anna called out needlessly. "Are you guys playing a trick on me? 'Cause if you are… I don't get it."

There was a small noise coming from the back and Anna froze. She strained her ears and the noise came again. It was minuscule and almost impossible to hear but it sounded like a sniffle to her. Anna picked up the gloves and stuffed them in her jacket pocket as she headed towards Elsa's bedroom.

"Els? Elsa, what's wrong?" Anna asked, knocking on the door.

There wasn't a response.

"Elsa, please, I know you're in there," she said, reaching for the knob. "I'm coming in now… you better be decent."

When the door swung open, Anna was astonished to what she found inside. Elsa was curled up in the corner of her bed, head buried in her arms and legs pulled up to her chest. Her shoulders were shaking, Anna making the quick deduction that Elsa was _crying_. Actually crying!

"Elsa, my god!" Anna gasped, rushing over and crawling onto the bed to meet up with the punk. "What's wrong? What happened!?"

"Why am I such a fuck up, Anna?" came a small voice.

"What? I don't understand—"

"Why am I such a fucking _fuck up_!" Elsa threw her head back and kneaded her fingers into her temple. "I screw everything up! I am the worst person on the face of the planet! I shouldn't be here! I am absolutely—!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Anna cried, cupping Elsa's face in her hands kindly. "Elsa, look at me… please, calm down." She stroked Elsa's pale, tear stained face with her thumbs. The blonde's breathing was ragged but she met Anna's eyes nevertheless, feeling a slight relief wash over her. "Now," Anna cooed, offering her a soft smile. "Tell me what happened."

"…They quit," Elsa announced hoarsely.

"Wait, what?"

"Olaf, Sitron, and Marshmallow… they quit. Tour's over, Anna. I can't do this by myself… and it's all my fault. Because I'm a stubborn, fucking moron!"

"Tell me everything."

And so Elsa explained to her about the pictures and how they got mad at her. She even went on to say that she analyzed why and admitted that she realized how selfish she was being. Anna let Elsa ramble, the poor girl crumbling right in front of her eyes. When the punk finished, she pressed her leather bound palms into her face, sniffling thickly.

"Now I'm all alone," she finished.

"No, you're not," Anna said. "I'm still here. And Oaken… who is actually supposed to be back by now but he ran off to get something and… never mind." Anna climbed off the bed. "And you know what? I don't think I'm very satisfied with the results. It wasn't just you who was being selfish, it was them, too in a way. I understand their frustration but I'll be damned they quit on you."

"What do you expect me to do?" Elsa asked her bitterly, picking at a hole in her jeans.

"Oh, you're not gonna do anything!" Anna left the room for a second and then returned with a half pint Dulce De Leche flavored Häagen-Dazs and a spoon. "Eat your feelings, Elsa." She handed the ice cream to Elsa with a goofy grin. "I'll be back, I promise."

"What are you planning?" Elsa said, raising a suspicious eyebrow and sticking her spoon into the frozen treat.

"You'll see," Anna said sweetly, leaning over and kissing Elsa's head, causing the punk seize up in shock. She had never been on the receiving end of the kisses before.

Without any further explanation to her plan, Anna headed out of the bus and pulled out her phone.

She entered the text message app and found Olaf's name in the list of her recent sends and shot him a quick text, hoping he wouldn't question her sudden enthusiasm.

'_hey olaff im all done with grocery shopping. you wanna grab a drink or somethin_'

Anna held her breath and waited for him to reply. Not thirty seconds later, she received a text back:

'_sure thing kiddo! me and the guys are at this bar called the local. its a few blocks from the bus just go right and then straight on from there_'

'_awesomesauce im on my way! :D_'

With a triumphant smirk, Anna shot Oaken a text to keep and eye on Elsa after he returned to the bus before she pocketed her phone and headed down the street.

* * *

The bar was a low brow dive bar with sitting areas and foosball tables abound. She glanced around the bar until she found her friends sitting on one of the deflating leather couches, chatting and drinking beers. Anna puffed out her chest and marched over to them, not bothering to sit down.

"Hey!" she barked.

"Hey, Anna!" Olaf greeted cheerily, waving his bare hand at her.

"Who was the genius who decided that the band should break up?" she snapped, getting right down to business.

Olaf and Sitron exchanged looks before pointing to one another in unison. Marshmallow sunk into himself, cusping his bottle like a child. Anna immediately removed her right glove, raised her hand, and smacked both the guitarist and the bassist across the face. The drummer winced in sympathy as his friends yelped out in shock and pain.

"You guys are idiots!" Anna yelled, drawing the attention of a few drinkers.

"Fuck you, Anna, you weren't even there!" Sitron shouted back.

"Elsa told me what happened!" Anna talked over him before he could continue any further. "I come back from shopping and see her fetal on the bed, crying her eyes out and hating herself! She feels so awful right now and, yes, she admits it! She was selfish. She _is_ selfish! She's _Elsa_!" Anna shoved her hand back in her glove, her hand stinging slightly from the rough faces she had to smack. "But at least she has some common sense to realize her mistakes."

"Anna, listen," Olaf said weakly, rubbing his smarting cheek. "Elsa wasn't sticking up for us and she's done this many times before. We're growing tired of it. We're a part of the band, too."

"And we deserve as much recognition as she does," Sitron added.

Marshmallow remained taciturn, not wanting to get punished by Anna's wrath.

"I agree with you, believe me," Anna said, though much gentler. "And I'm going to sit us all down with Kai on Skype and talk this through, do you understand me? He's a jackass for making Elsa decide on the posters alone. It should be a unanimous vote between all of you." She folded her arms across her chest. "And I'm going to tell Elsa that she needs to respect you more."

"What makes you think she'll listen to you?" Sitron scoffed.

"I'll _make _her listen," Anna said darkly, sending chills through each of them.

"Anna, here's another snag, though," Marshmallow finally spoke up. "Kai has a point in making all the posters about Elsa… we don't have any fans personally. It's all about Elsa. Do you see any Olaf T-shirts or posters dedicated to me or Sitron?" He shifted in his seat. "It's just a popularity stunt… to get people to come."

"Sure you have fans!" Anna said, raising her brows. "I had these girls in my Econ class last semester who wouldn't stop talking about Sitron!" The bassist blinked at her in confusion. "Lottie from New Orleans, oh, she was _all over_ Olaf!" Olaf flushed and nodded numbly. "Marshmallow, I saw a few bikers with white leather jackets the other week or so and they were all talking about you." He let out a tiny smile, flattered. "Just because Elsa's fan base seems bigger than yours doesn't mean your fans don't exist. Listen, I want you to be honest with me about this… don't you think there are some people who know a band but only remember the name of the lead singer or, perhaps, one member's name?"

The boys exchanged looks before they nodded slowly, wondering where she was going with this.

"Exactly!" Anna said, spreading her arms. "No Doubt? I only know Gwen Stefani's name! Guns and Roses? Slash. That's it. I don't know anybody else. I don't even know all the names of One Direction even though I babysat this girl who was in love with them. Harry, I know… Then… Zack? I don't remember anything else. The only names I can recognize fully are John, Paul, Ringo, and George!" She sighed and dropped her shoulders. "You guys shouldn't be recognized just by your names, though. You should be recognized by the name of the _band_ and the good you do and what you stand for. There's so much you guys have done for so many people… and you have such a fantastic future ahead of you.

"If you're gonna let another act of Elsa's selfishness ruin everything for you guys and your career… maybe you're not as special as I thought you were." Anna sniffled and hugged her arms to her chest. "You guys mean a lot to me and if you drop everything now… I would be losing a family." Tears swam in her teal eyes and they stared at her in alarm, all sitting up in an effort to comfort her but she shook her head at them. "I'll leave it up to you but just know that you're still in the early days of your career, your first tour. There is so much to be accomplished."

She dipped her hand into her jacket pocket and tossed the gloves into Olaf's lap.

"Anna," Olaf whimpered.

"We were just… Elsa is…" Sitron trailed off, downcast and guilty.

Marshmallow stared down at the floor, unsure of what to say.

Anna wiped underneath her eyes and turned around, leaving the bar in silence and leaving her friends with a choice.

* * *

Somehow she managed to get Elsa to come out of her bedroom and sit with her in the booth. They finished off the pint of Häagen-Dazs together without speaking. Elsa's eyes were red, itchy, and puffy but she had managed to pull herself together. After Anna told her what she said to the boys, Elsa agreed that it was the best thing to do for the time being.

All they could to was wait.

Oaken was leaving them be, relaxing in his driver's chair and silently hoping that everything would work out. They would be behind schedule is this whole ordeal didn't get resolved by the end of the day… not that it would matter. If it was left alone, there would be no tour to continue.

Suddenly, there was a clearing of a throat, causing the two girls to look up from the empty cardboard pint. Standing in the doorway between the front room and the entrance was the rest of Dry Ice, the gloves back on and apologies written on their faces. Elsa scooted out of the booth and stared at them with anticipation.

"I suppose we took things too far," Olaf said.

"And I don't think it's very fair to have you do the tour alone, posters or no posters," Sitron said.

"We're sorry, Elsa," Marshmallow finished.

Elsa's lip quivered before she ran at them, Olaf opening up his arms for a warm hug, the blonde falling into it and crying into his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry!" she wailed. "I'm so, so, so, sorry! I should have fought for you, I should have been a better friend, I should have… I should have… I'm sorry!"

The other two gathered around and entered a group hug.

"I'll call Kai first thing in to m-morning," she promised. "A-and sort this all out-t-t. Anna's r-right, you _do_ n-need more attention. You're a p-part of the band!"

"We forgive you, Els," Olaf assured. "We would have never gotten this far if it weren't for you."

"We wouldn't have come back if it weren't for Anna," Sitron reminded them all.

"Oh! Uh…" Anna flushed and rubbed the back of her neck. "It was no biggie. I just—"

But she was cut off by Marshmallow yanking her over into the group hug.

So with everything patched up with the band and some tears were shed in relief, Oaken joyously shifted the bus into gear and headed out to North Carolina.

On the ride there, Anna tucked herself away in her bedroom and watched the road move from her window, giving the band some privacy so they can recuperate their emotions and discuss the matter of the posters on a much more level headed state.

Anna had stripped herself of the gloves and skinny jeans and was sitting on her pillow with her knees drawn to her chest in an old T-shirt, a pair of comfy shorts, and socks. Mose's head was sticking out from beneath her pillow, his furry face smiling up at her. She was tired and achey, today proving to be more stressful than she had originally intended.

There was a soft knock on her door and Elsa opened it, poking her head inside.

"May I join you?" she asked.

"Sure," Anna approved, sending her a grin. "Sit down." She gestured to the other side of the bed.

Elsa did so, leaning her back against the wall and stretching out her legs.

"I have to thank you, Anna," she said. "Without you, we wouldn't be on our way… we would be fucked…" The corners of her mouth twitched. "I never knew you'd be so important to all of us."

"Neither did I," Anna admitted.

Elsa sighed and ran a gloved hand through her hair. "I also have something really stupid to tell you?"

"Oh?"

"I figured something out a while ago after doing some calculations and looking back on dates… I don't know if I told you— maybe I did— about me exploring my sexuality a while back?"

"Probably. What are you talking about?"

"Well, I discovered that you dated Hans around the same time his family took us on as a sponsor. And remember when I told you that I tended to like things for their name rather than what it is?"

"We were talking about the color periwinkle, Elsa… that's… how is _that_ relevant to this conversation? Where are you going with this?"

"I dated someone for their namesake…" Elsa took in a deep breath. "And I feel awful about it because I…" She averted her eyes from Anna's. "I dated Hans."

Anna gasped. "You did _not_!"

"Yup. I only did because he was part of the amp sponsor and I was trying to get to his dad… it was a stupid ulterior motive but I did it anyway." Elsa closed her icy eyes and grimaced. "But that's not the worst of it. I dated him when… when you did."

"Wait… what?"

There was a long paused before Elsa grit her teeth.

"I didn't even realize it until a few days ago but… Hans cheated on you with me."

Anna stared, disbelief written all over her freckled face. Elsa shook her head rapidly.

"I'm so sorry I didn't even realize… I never knew he was dating another girl while he was dating me. I broke it off for an entirely different reason but he still stuck around with us 'cause he was a roadie and everything but… fucking, shit, Anna! I was that girl. I'm so sorry. I couldn't keep this from you because I—"

Anna suddenly cut her off as she burst out laughing. Words failed Elsa as she watched the ginger clutch her stomach and choke for air, absolutely losing it. Tears were gathering at the corners of her eyes as she cracked up, trying to catch her breath.

"I don't understand why this is funny?" Elsa said. "Anna, Hans cheated on you with me!"

"Oh my fucking god!" Anna cried. "This is too perfect!"

"Why is this funny!?" Elsa demanded, flabbergasted.

"Because here I thought Hans cheated on me because he was just a big dick. I mean, he was, but he was also probably doing it as an ulterior motive so he could get a better reputation with his brothers. If he sealed the deal with you, a future pop star, he would get so much credit!" Anna wiped the tears from her eyes and continued giggling. "Oh my gosh, that's too funny! Both of Hans' exes sitting here. I wonder what would happen if he knew we were talking to one another. He'd be so embarrassed, I bet!"

"You're not mad at me?"

"No! You had no idea, after all!"

"Well, I'm glad you punched the fuckhead in the face, kiddo, but I woulda socked him in his microscopic groin."

"Isn't it tiny!?" Anna squealed.

"Oh my god, _so_ tiny!" Elsa grinned.

They both howled with laughter. Anna struggled for more air while Elsa held her sides.

"D-did you have to help him—?"

"—In picking out the best shampoo for his hair?"

"Yes!"

They both enveloped in another fit of giggles. It took them a good five minutes to calm down but still held stupid grins on their faces.

"Ah, man… it's been a crazy ride with you so far, Anna," Elsa said, gazing fondly at the object of her affections.

"Yeah, it has," Anna agreed, hugging her legs to bring them closer to her chest. "I'm glad I joined you guys, though."

"Me too…"

Elsa let her glance fall from Anna to the black gloves that covered her hands. She stared at them for a second or two, a million thoughts and decisions whirring through her mind. Anna had proven herself to be a loyal friend to her and the boys, going along with them in all sorts of situations. She stood proudly beside them and worked hard to gain their friendship.

The blonde's walls were still up, sure.

But maybe it was time she took them down for a change. She really did like Anna more than she would admit to herself. And if there was truly something there, she shouldn't be afraid of it anymore.

"Anna, are you still curious about my gloves?" Elsa asked gently.

The roadie froze. "Huh?"

"Because I think it's time I showed you."

Anna gaped at her before blinking herself out of her stupor. She sent Elsa a cautious look of shock, unsure of what was about to actually happen next.

"Elsa… are you sure? Like, on hundred percent absolutely positive? This is a big deal."

Elsa peered out the window with an expression of slight uncertainty. "Yes. I'm sure. You deserve to know the truth." She faced Anna. "Are you ready?"

Anna closed her surprised gape and nodded seriously, not taking her eyes off of Elsa. The punk took in another humungous breath before reaching for one of her gloves with a shaking hand. Slowly, she peeled off the first one and then the other. Anna didn't dare drop her eyes to the hands just yet. She waited for Elsa to give the okay or to show her properly.

Then, with a hard swallow, Elsa turned her palms up. Anna took that as permission to look… and she had to stop herself from gasping.

Upon Elsa's pale palms were grotesque, rough, and dark pink scars. The tissue was damaged to no repair, it was clear to Anna, and it made sense to why Elsa constantly wore her gloves.

"Oh, Elsa," Anna whispered.

"Dry ice… These are dry ice scars left over from gnarly burns. I got these things when I was a roadie way back when. I was helping set up for a set and I was stupid enough to not wear gloves when I handled the shit… so I ended up seriously burning myself. I had to go back home with gloves on my hands…" Elsa glared down at him with hatred shining in her eyes. "So I named the band after my mistake, forever cursed with these scars. A reminder of what I did…

"I say a lot about being true to yourself, flaws and all. But I can never bring myself to reveal the truth behind my gloves. I'm ashamed of them… I can't stand them every time I see them on my skin. If people found out…" She grimaced. "Who would want to see a fucking coward perform?"

The next thing Elsa knew, Anna's hand was curled around her wrist, snatching it in midair. Elsa furrowed her brows at her.

"Wha… Anna, what the hell are you doing?"

She felt herself being pulled forward slightly as Elsa brought the scarred hand up close to her face with a deadpan expression on her face. The position her hand was in was rather uncomfortable and Elsa was confused beyond belief.

"You are aware of the pain you're—?"

She blushed a deep red as Anna pressed a kiss into the palm of Elsa's hand, letting her lips linger there. Elsa was gawking at Anna, eyes wide. She had no idea what to say as Anna ran a thumb across the bumpy scars. She looked into Elsa's eyes with a genial smile.

"I think your scars are beautiful," she said genuinely. "And I don't think they should be hidden from the world." She let go of Elsa hand and Elsa reached for her gloves. "Elsa, they're a part of you. They made you who you are."

Elsa scoffed and shot Anna a sarcastic smile. "Ha! If you think these things are beautiful, then you need some glasses pronto." Her smile melted away as she shoved the gloves back onto her hands. "Let's just say I'm a coward and leave it at that."

"You're not a coward," Anna insisted kindly.

"Hm…" Elsa scowled.

"Not to me."

The two of them fell into silence again, Elsa securing the leather along her wrists. Anna watched her, feeling a slight satisfaction in finally getting to see what was underneath the gloves. But another feeling and thrilling realization was sparking in her stomach.

Elsa trusted her.

She trusted her enough to remove her gloves in front of her. She finally showed off the shameful secret she hides away from everyone, no matter what. Anna understood why the boys were so apprehensive to answer Anna's questions about the gloves. Because they new it was Elsa's business and that she needed to tell Anna when she felt comfortable.

There was a courage in Anna that reared back its head and told her to take a chance. Anna looked up at Elsa, who was still rather shy and perhaps embarrassed after showing Anna the truth about her. She sat up and leaned forward until she was nearly nose to nose with Elsa. That snapped the punk out of her daze and she raised her eyebrows at Anna.

"What are you doing now?" she said.

"Trying something," Anna responded.

And with that, Anna closed the gap between the two. Elsa's eyes went wide open at the feeling of Anna's lips pressed against hers. It took her about two seconds to finally relax and kiss Anna back, resting her hands on the roadie's shoulders. She deepened it, their noses bumping together but neither of them cared.

What Elsa assumed would be a quenching of her desire to kiss Anna failed immensely. She merely craved more of Anna's kisses, to hold her close and never let her go, to see what she was like when the lights were turned down low and her eyes were full of lust.

Anna felt a warmth in her stomach that was ten times hotter than lava, pushing her lips harder onto Elsa's before the blonde parted her mouth and allowed Anna entry.

How long the kiss lasted, they had no idea. They were swimming in ecstasy and didn't want to break for air.

Olaf, however, did that for them.

He threw open the door until it hit the wall with a loud _clang_, startling the two apart. Elsa flew backwards and smacked her head on the wall while Anna did the same, only her head met the shelf for the umpteenth time.

"Guys!" Olaf shouted joyously. "We're almost to Raleigh, North— Whoa, what happened to you two?"

"Nothing," they both groaned, rubbing their growing bumps.

"Well, c'mon, Els!" Olaf said, grabbing her by the wrist and yanking her out with him. "Sitron and I think we can match a few chords for a song."

Elsa craned her neck so she was sending Anna an apologetic yet longing glance over her shoulder as the redhead witnessed her being dragged away from her. When Elsa was forced in the front room and Anna was left on her bed, she raised a hand to her lips and fully understood what she had just done.

And she wanted more.

* * *

**Follow my tumblr. Link on my profile.**

**Fav/Follow/Review**

**See you next time.**


	15. Do I Wanna Know

**NSFW content ahead. Don't like, don't read. More so near the end of the chapter. Reasons why such content is going to occur will be clear in this chapter.**

**Also, a few notes to give before we move on:**

**1) I have ended the search for original songs. I found a few that a writer sent to me and gave me permission to use. Thank you to all who submitted. Any songs mentioned are written by _harvingtoniii_.  
****2) To Guest signed in as _That Frozen Guy_: Hans' revenge is going to come into play as we get further in, I assure you. It'll make far more sense near the end.  
****3) To those asking me, no there is no known fan art for Scars (although there are a few for my fic "Shore" which shocks me to this day). I would love to pay artists on tumblr i.e. Elsanna commissioners for some but I don't have that access. But then again, I'd rather see art made purely for the sake of the affection for the story rather than paying for it out of my own pocket, just as I did when I saw the Shore fan art. But if you stumble across any, feel free to submit it to my inbox on tumblr or tag me somehow…  
****4) My friend _Chibiandbasil_ sent me a video that was Let It Go as a rock version and… Demi has taken a backseat. I deemed that version the official version for this story. Look it up. It's perfect.  
****5) You can now follow this version of Elsa on tumblr. The link to her account is on my profile. Kinda a roleplaying blog so you can ask her questions and whatever. My friend wanted me to do one so… there it is. Just for fun.  
****6) -finally- I want you to go back to Chapter Eight and reread the last bit where Anna and Elsa are talking about sex songs… then consider the name of this chapter.**

**Thank you.**

**Have fun ;)**

* * *

It was as if the Fates were working against Anna for the next two days. Every single chance she had to talk to Elsa, another work load was dumped onto her plate or Elsa would be whisked away to go practice onstage. Ever since Olaf took Elsa back into the front room for song ideas, Anna hardly had a moment alone with her.

And she could feel a tension building between them with unsaid emotions and questions. It wasn't fair to the redhead. Just when she started to realize that her feelings for Elsa weren't going to go away, she was forced to wait until the next time they boarded the bus and headed off to wherever they were supposed to.

The first day wasn't as bad. They arrived Raleigh, North Carolina the evening of the kiss but Anna was too shy to face Elsa so she caught up with Oaken to help him move equipment back and forth from the bus to the theatre. Elsa was preoccupied with rehearsal that evening so she couldn't approach Anna if she tried.

And the next morning, Anna excused herself to get coffee for everybody, embarrassed for even kissing Elsa in the first place.

On the other hand, Elsa was getting frustrated with each passing hour that first day. It was as if Anna was trying to avoid her. But wasn't she one who initiated the kiss in the first place!? The stupid kid wouldn't even look her in the eye as she silently handed over Elsa's hot chocolate before scurrying off the assist a few techies.

The blonde had kissed many people before ranging from girlfriends to boyfriends to dares to random strangers and all of them she managed to shake off ten minutes later. Clearly, Anna was the exception to such aloofness.

Why was it so hard to get Anna alone so they could talk about it? It wasn't very fair for either parties.

During her rehearsal for the concert the next day, Elsa was mulling over ideas of ways to pull Anna aside. She really did want to know what the kiss was all about, after all. The roadie had made it happen, caused all this awkwardness.

If only Olaf hadn't been a giant douche and interrupted them.

Then again, Elsa was afraid that if he hadn't, she might have had sex with Anna right then and there. Her mind was fogged enough by shock that any common sense flew out the window.

The only good that came out of the first day of tension was a song.

While Anna was out running errands with Oaken that evening, Elsa met up with the band in the bus.

"Okay," she said, squeezing her gloved hands. "Okay, okay, okay… I stayed up all night last night to finish it but I _finally_ came up with something. Your harmonies, Olaf and Sitron, were excellent for this song…"

"What caused the inspiration?" Olaf wondered.

_I made out with Anna. _"It just hit me before I went to bed. During breaks today I was fixing it… but…" She grinned at them. "Wanna hear it?"

"Fuck yeah we do!" Sitron cheered.

"Alright… now, just know this is a rough draft and—"

Marshmallow cut her off. "Sing the damn song."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "I titled it 'The Fine Line.' Hopefully… hopefully Kai'll—"

"Sing!" all three shouted at her.

Elsa pursed her lips before snatching a guitar that hung on the wall. She tuned it for a minute or two until she was satisfied. She started to play a medley that sounded an awful lot like "Do I Wanna Know" but was more upbeat, the joy that had filled Elsa the night previous being resonated through each chord.

_It always starts in the dark  
__With a heart to heart, we share our scars  
__Let's break down the break-ups we endure  
__Maybe there's something to be learned_

"Ah… Marshmallow, can you pat out a beat for me that matches this?" Elsa said, pausing and glancing up at the drummer.

"No problem," he nodded, hitting his knees with his large hands, the beat blending in with the guitar.

"Good so far, Els," Olaf applauded.

_From the love that burned,  
__A cold red, to cruel blues,  
__There ain't no waking up to this morning  
__When love dies and only guilt remains_

She shifted to a faster pace, capturing undivided attention from her bandmates. She sang the chorus, her voice overflowing with raw emotion that reminded them all of the first time she sang "Let It Go" for them all to hear.

_We flood the night with tears,  
__Kiss goodbye the walls we built  
__Ends or ends we thought we cleared  
__Only to find our demons still  
__They're clawing at our minds  
__Fighting for our lives  
__Slipping into the cracks  
__While we were blinded by the light of new love_

"That's the chorus," she explained. "Does it need anything extra?"

"I think it's perfect," Sitron said, immensely pleased they were assisting Elsa in her song. "Keep on going, blondie."

_There were telephone calls  
__Together but alone, ghosts in the halls  
__Hold you in my jacket, close to my chest  
__A promise that you weren't like the rest_

_(Chorus)_

_Throw back the door  
__Break black and white  
__Truth and lies  
__'Till only myth remains  
__It's a fine line  
__But we just might be legendary!_

_(Chorus)_

Elsa riffed on the guitar for a minute, bobbing her head to the beat Marshmallow was creating. The guitar wasn't plugged in so it was simply acoustic but it got the point of the song across.

After one last drift of her hand across the strings, the sound reverberated away and left them all in a silence. Olaf burst into applause and leapt to his feet, Sitron and Marshmallow following close behind.

"Thank you," Elsa said, inclining her head. "Your queen is pleased with your results."

"Whoa, hey," Sitron said with a wry smile. "Let's not jump back into that 'your queen' attitude, young lady."

"Ah, right… sorry," Elsa said, hanging the guitar back up. "We don't want another incident like yesterday."

"Past is in the past, need I remind you?" Olaf joked, turning on the TV. "Get some rest, Els. I like that song a lot. Really fits you!"

"Who is it about?" Marshmallow asked excitedly.

"Does it have to be about somebody?" Elsa snapped defensively, catching the boys off guard. "Uhm…" She coughed awkwardly as the bus doors slid open and Oaken wandered inside with Anna at his heels.

"…Probably the most mortifying moment in my life," Anna was telling the security guard, making him chuckle deeply. "You shoulda been there, Oaken. I swear, Rapunzel never let me live it down."

"Sounds like a wild ride," Oaken said, sitting in his drivers seat.

"You have no idea," Anna giggled, carrying a bag with the Target logo on it with her as she entered the main room.

She froze when she saw Elsa staring at her with a hopeful expression. The boys were oblivious, their attention glued to the television instead. Anna bit her lip, hiding a shy smile.

"Hey," she said, finally talking to Elsa.

"Hi," Elsa breathed.

"So…" Anna swallowed and rubbed the back of her neck anxiously. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Elsa replied quickly. "Do you have… time to talk?"

"Actually, I promised I'd FaceTime Punzie right now," Anna said, genuinely apologetic. "But, after the concert tomorrow? When we're both not busy?"

Elsa nodded. "That sounds perfect. Promise?"

"I promise," Anna said, sending her a loving smile. "Goodnight, guys." She raised a hand at her friends as she headed into her room.

They all bid her pleasant dreams, the roadie slipping inside her bedroom, leaving Elsa standing dumbly in the kitchen area. She let out a sigh and told the guys she was going to bed and marched into her room.

She collapsed onto her bed and buried her head into her pillow, biting her cheek. Then she turned until she was lying on her back, removing her gloves. She stared up at the scars and frowned at them.

After last night, she was astonished at herself for revealing them to Anna. But she had been filled with such thankfulness and trust for the ginger that she was confident enough to do so. It was nice not to have to hide them from Anna anymore.

What was more, Anna thought they were beautiful. That Elsa shouldn't be ashamed of them. She didn't laugh at her for burning herself, for making a stupid mistake… Anna was nothing but graceful in receiving the truth. A true friend.

Then she kissed her.

"Goddammit," Elsa swore, pushing the heel of her hands against her closed eyes.

She liked it so much, too. Elsa wanted more, definitely more. She wanted to feel Anna's body pressed up against hers. To kiss her all over her neck and leave bright red love marks, claiming Anna as her own.

No girl alive had driven Elsa this insane after one little kiss. There was something about the roadie that pulled her in, made her crave to see what she was like when her breathing was ragged, how she sounded when Elsa—

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Elsa groaned. "Conceal, don't— Fuck, don't start with that mantra again!" She sat up and kicked off her boots. "Fucking fucks." She glared at the blank television and decided to distract herself for the rest of the night with mindless cartoons before she had to face the next day.

* * *

As stated before, the first day wasn't as bad. But the second day was like hellfire. Not at first, however. It started off like any normal day with a concert scheduled did. The band got up and forced themselves to practice until lunch time, coffee that Anna brought them nearby. The boys were trying to tempt Elsa into performing "The Fine Line" for the first time but she declined the request, explaining that it still needed tweaking as far as the tuning was concerned.

Anna, of course, busied herself with helping backstage and making sure the dressing room was to the band's liking. She got herself into an argument with a techie over the placement of the chandelier, telling him it had to be directly in the middle, not placed right or left even if it was slight.

The techie was taller than she was with scruffy brown hair, the ends of it that dangled on his neck frosted. His eyes were a dark brown, his tan face smothered in a five o'clock shadow, a few hairs poking out from where would be his sideburns to his chin and up across his top lip. His T-shirt was a dark brown with black hooves stamped across from the bottom left to the top right. He wore torn up jeans with a leather, rosemaled belt holding it up, his working shoes grimy and grey.

"Nobody's gonna notice," he shrugged at her. "It's not such a big deal."

"Clearly you haven't seen the shows before," Anna spat, folding her arms across her chest. "The lights project onto it dead center so it can reflect the snow!"

"It'll do fine like—"

Anna grabbed him by the front of his shirt and brought him nose to nose with her.

"Fix. It," she snarled. "Or so help me I will tell Elsa and you'll be out of this job faster than you can say 'I fucked up.' Understand? If she's not happy with the arrangement, then there won't be a concert."

The techie gulped before nodding weakly at her.

"Wonderful," she said cheerily. "Glad we came to an agreement." She let go of him and walked off, as if she hadn't just frightened the piss out of the techie.

"Jesus," the techie groaned, rubbing his chest where her nails had scraped him from when she snatched his shirt.

"What's up?" another backstage worker asked, carrying over a large amp.

He was, unlike the techie, far larger and bulkier in size. He had a mop of blonde hair covered by a smokey grey beanie. He had a few freckles dotting his pale complexion and a pair of chocolate brown eyes. His T-shirt was dark grey and his jeans were a bit crusty from dirt and grime around the stage, tennis shoes in need of desperate repair.

"Just… that roadie for Dry Ice is a cold bitch," the techie grumbled. "Never mind… Kristoff, you got the amps set?"

"Yeah, Sven. And hey, don't sweat the small stuff," the worker said with a lopsided smile. "I'm sure she's just doing her job."

"Whatever," Sven sighed. "You're probably right. C'mon, I'll help you load that up."

"If you're still feeling upset about it, I'll talk to her," Kristoff teased. "I know you can be sensitive about being yelled at by a girl."

"Shut up," Sven snapped, flushing violently.

* * *

With the concert blaring on stage, Anna was fretting over what she was going to say to Elsa when they finally talked one-on-one with each other. Her teal eyes kept stealing glimpses of the punk as she bounded around and sang at the top of her voice. How she never ran out of breath, Anna didn't know. She kept rewording her speech, apologies running through her mind about attacking Elsa's lips without really giving her any warning, and nervousness thrumming through her being over what Elsa was going to tell her.

As she paced near some of the spare equipment, she was approached by one of the stagehands. She wasn't really in the mood to be talked to but she overweighed that feeling with her anxiety over talking to Elsa. So she locked eyes with the blonde guy coming over to her and realized that he was, in fact, looking to talk to her.

"Hey," he greeted, stuffing large hands into his grey sweatshirt pockets.

"Hi," Anna replied. "What's up?"

"Uh, nothing, actually," he said, flashing her a lopsided smile. "I was just comin' over to… well… you kinda yelled at my buddy Sven today?"

Anna's brows knit together. "Sven? Who is that?"

"Sven… well, he's the techie who misplaced the chandelier."

"Oh! Oh, oh, oh!" Anna shook her head. "I'm so sorry! I've been under so much stress and I know what Elsa's preferences are and, believe me, I'm the calm before the storm because if she saw it wasn't in place, she'd've gone ballistic and…" Anna cleared her throat and sent the stagehand an apologetic smile. "Where is he? I should formally address him and—"

"Hey, no biggie," he chuckled. "He's gonna get over it. He's really a bright and sunny guy most of the time but our granddad's been running us into the ground… See, well, my name is Kristoff and I'm part of the amp sponsor for Dry Ice up in Rapid City. I'm down here as sort of an ambassador for them when Elsa has a free moment."

"I'm Anna, by the way. And you might have to wait until tomorrow 'cause I'm taking up her time tonight," Anna admitted. "Sorry."

"Whatever is best for her," he said with a heavy shrug. "The Troll Rock Amps know that Dry Ice is worth the wait."

"So… your grandfather owns it?"

"Yup. It's been a family business for years. Once he passes, my dad will inherit it, then it'll go to me and so on."

"And Sven, the techie, is your brother?"

"More like adopted brother."

Kristoff fell silent after that and Anna got the feeling that, much like Elsa, he was a walls-up kind of guy. She had met him two minutes ago and she knew she wasn't very deserving to know of his history. So she changed the subject quickly.

"How long have you been in Raleigh?" she wondered curiously.

"Not too long. Pabbie— my granddad— wanted me to see Elsa as soon as possible so we can get her the amps she needs." Kristoff rubbed the back of his neck. "What's she like?"

Anna let loose a laugh. "Good question. I'm still trying to figure that out for myself."

Kristoff smirked. "Thanks for the heads up, I suppose. I hope things go well."

"I'm sure they will. She really needs new amps." Anna stuck her hands in her back pockets and rocked on the heels of her Docs. Even when she was trying to avoid thinking about Elsa, she ended up talking about her. "Her last sponsor wasn't very good."

"Right, Westerguard Amps. They're awful." Kristoff winked at her. "And I'm not only saying that 'cause they're competition."

"No, I know exactly what you're talking about. I dated the youngest son of the company," Anna said. "He was the biggest asshole in the world."

"Sorry to hear that," he sympathized. "I promise I'm not an asshole. Sven calls me that from time to time but that's just because I don't always do what he wants."

"Right, but you and I aren't dating," Anna reminded him with a goofy grin. "So I don't need to be concerned whether or not you're an asshole."

"Awh, shucks, you're right," Kristoff said, grinning back at her.

The two didn't realize that the show was ending in the background, Elsa wishing everybody a good night. They were too busy talking to one another and giving each other jokingly flirtatious glances. Anna liked this guy already. He gave her a good back and forth and they had only just started talking. If he was the amp sponsor, Anna hoped for more conversations with Kristoff. Perhaps he would be a good new friend.

"I mean, that could change," Kristoff pointed out. "I could take you out for drinks and see where it takes us."

"Ah, it could but it's too bad I'm not into men anymore," Anna replied coyly, leaning close to him with sarcastically lidded eyes.

"Bummer," he snorted. "I'm sorry I asked. I wasn't aware you preferred taco to sausage."

Anna gagged and made a face. "Oh, gross!"

He started cracking up. "Sorry, Anna, I had to go there."

"No, you didn't, you jerk," Anna giggled, smacking him in the arm. "You didn't have to cross the line into crude humor."

"It's my kind of humor."

"You would get along with Sitron, then."

As they continued to talk and tease, Elsa was coming off of stage, removing her earplugs and feeling adrenaline rush through her body. She was going to finally sit down with Anna and see what they were going to be after that kiss and after two days of awkwardness. The boys were making their rounds before they joined her backstage but she didn't care. She was too busy searching for Anna so she could drag her into an empty dressing rooms.

But what she found wasn't what she wanted to see.

She saw Anna flirting with a guy— a good-looking one, too. They were leaning towards one another with smirks on their faces and lidded eyes. Elsa felt her blood boil, jealousy raging through her, eyes sparking with fury.

Perhaps she was jumping to conclusions, reasoned her rational side. But her feelings were genuinely hurt. She had opened up and let Anna in, showed her the scars, and was about to really let herself go but now Anna had the audacity to flirt with some other _guy_?!

Anna was giggling underneath the eye of this bulky, blonde bozo. He was giving her a goofy smile, clearly interested in taking Anna home for his own. Who the fuck did he think he was!?

With an ugly snarl, Elsa marched over, wedged herself between Anna and the stagehand, and pushed the guy away.

"Back off!" she shouted at him.

"Elsa, what the fuck!?" Anna demanded, alarmed.

"Who do you think you are!?" Elsa growled at Kristoff, who looked very confused and scared. Elsa turned on her heel to Anna, trying to mask her hurt feelings. "And _you_!"

"Me?" Anna gaped, affronted. "What about me?"

"How _dare_ you!?" Elsa whined, feeling tears sting her eyes. "I was so sure there was… _some_thing!"

"Elsa, slow down, you don't under—"

"I understand perfectly that you were flirting with him!" Elsa jabbed a thumb over her shoulder at a dumbstruck Kristoff.

"You don't know that!" Anna said, getting angry. "Stop jumping to conclusions, Elsa! You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Whatever!" Elsa yelled, throwing her hands up in the air. "If you're done being a two timer, I'll be at the hotel!"

She started to storm away, two tears slipping down her cheeks and shoulders bunched up to her ears. Anna stared after her, calling her name and demanding her to come back. The whole thing was a complete misunderstanding and absolutely stupid!

With a groan, Anna glanced at Kristoff.

"I am _so_ sorry," she apologized. "Look, let me go smooth this over… um… I'm really super sorry, Kristoff."

"It's fine. Just… figure out what's eating her," he said weakly.

"I have a hunch." _Me._

Anna left him standing there awkwardly, seeking out a sweaty and elated Olaf. She asked him what room Elsa was in and he explained she and Elsa were right next to one another with a door that could conjoin them, handing her the keycard for her own room.

"Why?" he asked as Anna shoved the card into her pocket.

"Circumstance," Anna grumbled and ran off to find the upset punk.

* * *

"Elsa, for fuck's sake open the goddamn door!" Anna shrieked, using her boots to kick at the door between their two rooms. "Let me talk to you!"

"Go away, Anna!" Elsa shouted back.

"No! We need to talk about what you just saw!" Anna pleaded.

She was about to go in for another kick when the door swung open and a very red-eyed Elsa stood before her, livid and exhausted.

"Fuck off," she snarled.

"You have got to be kidding me," Anna said, rolling her eyes and pushing her way into Elsa's room. "What you thought you saw… I wasn't flirting with Kristoff! Why in the world would I do that after I kiss you!? Common sense!" She knocked a fist against her head in example, watching Elsa scowl heavily at her.

"I don't know, Anna! Maybe you were doing that to get to me!"

"What!? What the fuck gave you that idea!"

Their voices were no doubt reaching the entire hotel, getting into each other's faces and tensions flaring between them. Elsa's gloved fists were quaking at her sides and Anna's eyes were wide with hurt and anger.

"Maybe you need to think before you look all googly-eyed at some guy!"

"Ever hear of sarcasm, Elsa!? Because you tend to use that a lot, y'know. I was teasing, joking, having a back-and-forth with someone different!"

"Someone different?"

"I can talk to whoever I want!"

"I don't want to share you with anyone else!"

"You don't own me!"

Anna spun on her heel and grabbed at her hair, despair aching in her bones. And here she thought she was going to have a meaningful conversation about their kiss. Instead they were screaming at each other over something so minimal, so ridiculous! And all because Elsa saw the wrong thing and the wrong time without really understanding what was happening. What was more, she wasn't believing Anna's story!

"My god," the roadie groaned. "You're such a pain."

"Why did you kiss me then?" Elsa snapped.

"Because I wanted to see… I don't…" Suddenly, Anna let out a frustrated cry and kicked over one of the chairs in Elsa's room, letting it fall to the floor with a dull thunk, tears building up in the corners of her eyes.

"You don't what? Don't want to admit you're wrong? Tell me the truth? Do you regret the kiss?"

"No! Yes! I don't know!"

"Make up your fucking mind! Do you want do date me or not!"

"This has nothing to do with you!"

"It has everything to do with me!" Elsa wanted to grab Anna by the shoulders and shake her, to get her to understand how hurt she was. "I saw you flirting with him!"

"You didn't see what you thought you saw!" Anna wailed.

"Tell me the truth!"

"I should have never… I don't even know why I…" The redhead's lip trembled. "Well, I would never want to date someone like you anyway because I hate your punk façade and I hate how mean you are to other people because they aren't famous as you are and I hate… I hate you!"

A ringing silence followed and Elsa drew inside herself, more harmed by the last comment than anything else. Anna didn't mean it, of course, but she certainly believed it. Elsa glanced down at the carpeted floor.

"You don't," she whispered.

"Yes I do," Anna said firmly, her lip quivering.

"Don't lie to me!" Elsa shouted, her voice cracking.

Anna didn't say anything, hugging her arms to her chest and feeling both ashamed of herself and hurt from Elsa's mistrust. Without another word, Anna left Elsa, heading into her own room and shutting the door behind her.

Elsa quivered on the spot before she picked up the chair Anna had kicked over and threw it across the room where it hit the wall by the window with an earth-shattering bang. That only provoked a tantrum from the punk, tears pouring from her eyes and screaming obscenities, crushed from a rejection from someone she opened up to. Someone she cared deeply for. Someone she thought would be different.

She didn't know how long the tantrum was. All she knew that she eventually tired of it and was curled up in a ball on her bed, eyes itchy and blotchy, heart aching. She wanted to say she was sorry to Anna for being so ignorant but she also wanted Anna to come forward first to apologize for her hurtful words.

This entire situation was unfair. Everything seemed out of place. Forcing them further apart… victims of misunderstandings and circumstance.

Someone was knocking on her front door but she had zero energy to get up and answer the door. There was some scuffling that followed before a keycard was slid inside and swung the door open.

"See, I told you I had the extra," Olaf snickered.

"Whatever," Sitron grunted. "Yo, Elsa!"

The three boys strode inside, smiles on their faces and the euphoria left over from the concert radiating off of them.

"We're gonna go barhopping and we want you and the kid…" Olaf trailed off, realizing the state Elsa was in. "Elsa?"

The other two noticed the fetal blonde, refusing to look at them. Marshmallow and Sitron exchanged looks of confusion while Olaf slowly approached the lead singer, sitting on the edge of the bed. He told the other two to give them a moment so he could talk to Elsa alone.

Marshmallow and Sitron left, though not without whispering their concerns to each other.

"What happened?" Olaf said gently.

"Anna and I got into a fight," Elsa croaked.

"About what?"

Elsa told him about what she saw, why she felt hurt, and went on to say how eager she had been after the show. So confident she and Anna were going to be something. So excited to let a few raw emotions out in the opening for the first time in a long time.

"And now I'm a giant jerk… and this is all my fault," Elsa moaned, burying her face into the bedspread.

"No, it's not," Olaf cooed, combing a bare hand through Elsa's hair kindly. "Elsa, it's understandable why you feel so betrayed. You opened up and let Anna in. That's a big step for you. And I'm sorry I interrupted your kiss… maybe if I didn't show, you'd have had a chance to discuss your feelings and not let them simmer for two days." He sighed and gazed towards the door that separated the girls. "But flirting with someone after she kissed you doesn't seem like Anna to me. I don't think she would ever hurt you… not intentionally."

"I know."

"Your feelings for Anna were making you irrational. I would calm down for the night before you see her again," he suggested. "And then you can say you're sorry, she'll say she's sorry, and you can kiss and make up."

Elsa nodded weakly and sniffled.

"Am I a fuck up, Olaf?" she wondered.

"No. You're just… you're just passionate. And you know what you want."

"I've made so many people mad at me in such a short period of time."

Olaf grimaced and said nothing, watching as Elsa grit her teeth in disgust.

"I've fucked up so much."

"You're gonna be okay. Anna would never remain mad at you."

"She hasn't known me as long as you."

"You're still friends. She knows that you trust her." Olaf rested his hand on her shoulder. "And you have to continue to trust her enough to know she'll come around."

Elsa didn't respond, blinking blearily.

"Do you wanna be alone?"

A nod.

"Alright, kid." He scratched her shoulder softly and supportingly before he rose to his feet, leaving Elsa be.

Meanwhile, Anna was in her own bedroom, her back resting against the door separating her room from Elsa's. She had heard the tantrum and was flooded with guilt.

The Fates really were bitches for making all of this happen. It was as if someone had broken a dam of words and situations that drive people apart when they were trying to figure things out tentatively. And the people who were hit the hardest were only adding salt to the open wounds.

Once the tantrum had ended, she started to cry herself. She wasn't very nice to Elsa and she knew it. She could have worded her little shouting fest in any other way but she had an urge to hurt Elsa after the blonde had jumped to conclusions so fast.

The roadie wanted to stitch everything up between them… but she felt as if she had reached too far and severed anything she could have had with Elsa.

Anna didn't know how long she had been sitting there but she reasoned she should get to bed and sleep the night off, deal with it in the morning. She removed all of her clothes except her bra and underpants, finding a pair of sleeping shorts in a small clothing pile Oaken and brought up for her to use while practice was happening.

After she brushed her teeth and washed her face, she sat on her bed for a while, suddenly feeling very awake.

She looked at the door, contemplating on her next move.

Then she made it. She got up from her bed and creaked open the door, poking a nose inside, her teal eyes scanning the dark and quiet bedroom. The chink of light streaming from her table lamp was falling on the empty side of Elsa's bed, the right side occupied by a sniffling lump. The light vanished as the door was shut with a soft click behind the redhead.

She allowed her bare feet to skim over the carpeted floor and towards the punk curled up in the hotel bed. Anna bit her lip as she peeled back the covers on the empty side. She crawled inside and wrapped her arms around Elsa's waist, startling the older girl and making her wince before she realized who it was. Elsa twisted her body to face Anna, confusion in her icy eyes, as the roadie buried her face into her neck, hot breath ghosting over the pale skin.

"I'm sorry," Anna breathed. "I don't hate you. I didn't mean anything I said. I'm sorry I hurt you, Elsa. I'm sorry that it had to come this far. I'm so, so, so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—"

"Hey, hey, hey. It's okay," Elsa replied in a whisper, pressing a kiss against Anna's head. "We're gonna be okay. I'm not mad anymore… I was too quick to judge and… I'm sorry I got so jealous."

"It's okay."

"No. No it's not. You're right, I _don't_ own you. But I've gotten so close to you." Her eyes wandered to a dark corner of the room. "I don't know. I just don't want to lose you."

"You'll never lose me." Anna tightened her grip around Elsa, swallowing hard. "I promise."

There was a small moment of silence before Elsa spoke, "Did you still want to talk about the kiss?"

"I think you know what it means," Anna said, blinking so her eyelashes scraped Elsa's collarbone ever so slightly.

Elsa hummed and nodded, her nose getting a decent whiff of Anna's strawberry shampoo.

"I'm still so sorry," the blonde said.

"Elsa, you said it yourself: we're gonna be okay."

"I wish there was more I can do to make it up to you."

Anna backed her head away, staring at Elsa intently through the dark. The punk's eyes were glowing before her, searching Anna's teal ones for any signs of hurt or discomfort she could eliminate.

Something told Anna to do it and she _wanted_ to do it. She had a perfect way for Elsa to make it up to her so, without a word of explanation, she reached up to press a tender kiss to Elsa's lips, continuing that "something" she had begun to try in the bus. Elsa kissed her back feverishly, a groan rolling out of her throat, her nose bumping against Anna's as she deepened the kiss.

Her hands— bare and scars exposed— roamed along Anna's arms. Her scars caused a rough friction on the younger girl's sun kissed skin that drew a kiss from the redhead, pleasant goosebumps creeping across her shoulders. Anna pulled away, much to the punk's disappointment, but halted her pout when Anna clambered on top of Elsa's straddling her hips.

Her eyes were dark with desire, much like how Elsa envisioned her when she craved more of Anna. Her fantasy was coming true and she realized that what they were about to do was inevitable. Elsa knew she was too far gone already to refuse Anna and wanted her more now than she ever had, to show Anna how sorry she was.

"This… this is new," Elsa said, resting her bare hands onto Anna's torso.

"It's different," Anna agreed affectionately. "But a good different."

"Yes," Elsa nodded, her own eyes dilated with lust.

With a smile, Anna guided Elsa hands higher to the back of her bra. Elsa's gaze flickered from the girl's chest to her face and back again, searching for true approval. Anna bit her lip nervously and gave a small nod. Elsa unhooked the bra and cast it aside, her eyes wandering over the newly exposed skin. She moved her hands over them, caressing the supple mounds that were now reserved for her eyes only.

"You… you're truly wonderful, Anna," Elsa sighed.

Anna mewled in response as Elsa's thumbs ran over each of her pert nipples, allowing her eyes to fall shut with pleasure, the simple gesture causing her breath to hitch and heat to coil in her abdomen. Elsa was staring at her face with nothing but amazement and haziness, marveling at the fact the roadie was allowing Elsa to see her this way. That _she_ was causing all sorts of erotic sighs and soft moans to come from her. They were unlike any sound Elsa had ever heard from Anna and they were making something wind in her core, begging for release by the girl above her.

Through with the minimal contact, Anna dipped down and kissed Elsa roughly, rocking her hips against hers in order to relieve herself of the growing arousal, searching for friction, and earning a growl from the blonde, her hands applying more pressure to Anna's breasts.

"Elsa," Anna moaned sweetly against her lips.

"Mm… Anna," Elsa responded breathily.

It was then that they both knew what was to come next. A hidden greed to please the other, a drive to make the other speak their name once again in ecstasy reared up in the both of them. Each girl was falling deeper and deeper into the other's spell with willingness. No more denying, no more sexual tension, no more fighting— just them in a cool hotel room after a night of misunderstanding and frustration.

Anna slipped her fingers behind Elsa's sleeping bra and unhooked it as the rockstar pressed several elongated, wet kisses along her jawline. With the bra off and tossed over the ginger's shoulder, she let her hands do as Elsa's did to her breasts. Although the result was far different from her own coos of approval.

Once her hands began to knead the skin and thumbs circle the hardened nipples, Elsa paused her kisses and grit her teeth, letting out a delicious hiss between them. Pleased with the new outcome, Anna continued her teasing by laying long kisses along each of the mounds, rubbing her lips against her nipples— giving equal attention to each so they could get the same amount of love.

"Ahh…" Elsa groaned, her hands sliding from Anna's breasts and around her neck, bringing her closer, fingers curling around and mussing up Anna's red mane, urging her to continue.

Anna felt her core ignite, her needs sparking tenfold. She moved her lips from Elsa's well-loved chest and kissed Elsa hard, parting their mouths with a swipe of her tongue. Elsa allowed gracious entry, the open mouthed kisses becoming more and more heated with every passing second.

The redhead soon found the punk's scarred hands at the top of her sleeping shorts, wriggling their way beneath them _and_ her underwear. Giggling breathily, Anna hooked her own fingers around Elsa's boxers, a wicked gleam in her eye.

"Same time," she said.

Elsa winked at her. "As you wish."

With some ungraceful movements and a few impatient grunts, the offending clothes were soon discarded to some corner of the room. Now both girls were stark naked in the dark room but neither of them felt self conscious, two pairs of eyes raking the other's body with hunger and affection.

"Beautiful," Elsa told her simply.

"Gorgeous," Anna insisted, grinning dazzlingly and rubbing her nose against Elsa's.

Elsa shook her head with a goofy smile on her pale face. "You're really something else, Anna."

"Of course," Anna giggled, leaning down to kiss Elsa's forehead. "What else would make me your roadie?" A kiss on her nose. "Make me your friend?" A kiss on her lips. "Make me your number one fan?"

"You're my number one fan?" Elsa snickered, though not unkindly, her white teeth shining in the dim light.

"Forever and always," Anna assured her.

Elsa pulled her down and kissed her forcefully, screwing her eyes shut. Anna starting running her hands up and down the top of Elsa's breasts and her shoulders, starting to automatically roll her hips onto the blonde's, searching for an ecstatic friction to send them both into a land of enlivening. Elsa stopped kissing Anna, panting with lidded eyes.

"Wait," she gasped. "Lemme…"

She sat up, kneeling in front of Anna, the redhead already in such a position. Anna furrowed her brows at Elsa as she crawled closer, nudging the roadie's legs apart slightly.

"First," Elsa began, looking into Anna's eyes, "are you ready for this? We don't have to… at all."

"I want this," Anna said. "I can't explain why it's so sudden but I really, really like it."

"Okay."

With permission to continue, Elsa slid herself into a position so that their thighs were just below their slick entrances. Anna felt her breath hitch and her eyes flutter shut, Elsa proceeding to grind against her thigh.

"Oh," Anna gasped innocently.

Elsa's hands reached up to cup Anna's face, kissing her sweetly. Anna arms snaked around Elsa's waist, the grinding starting to increase in speed. Each thrust hit their sweet spots, eliciting groans from both girls, heads swimming in arousal. Elsa's brow was creased in concentration, making sure that Anna was enjoying the make up sex as much as she was.

The redhead parted the kiss, lips swollen and eyes lidded, gasping and pressing her forehead against Elsa's.

"Elsaaaa," Anna sighed, her breathing becoming more erratic. "Eh… El_sa_."

The sound of her name in such a throaty tone drove Elsa insane, a growling meow erupting from deep in Anna's chest was nothing short of erotic. Anna then buried her face into Elsa's shoulder, trying to get closer to Elsa than she already was. Elsa took that opportunity to kiss Anna's neck, placing several love bites along the tanned and freckle dusted skin.

She eventually brought Anna's face back to her own, making out with the younger girl hungrily. But when she felt her core beg for more with an intensity, she pulled away, moaning and bumping her forehead against Anna's.

"Ahhh… _Anna_," Elsa groaned, her fingernails scraping against the back of Anna's neck. "F_ff_… _ah_…" Her eyes were rolling into the back of her head, the feeling of Anna's thigh rocking against her sex and brushing along her clit in just the right way was causing her to lose all sort of intellectual thought, her head completely cloudy and hazy.

And Anna was no exception. She had all but started to worship Elsa's god-given hips and the way they moved. They were nothing short of a blessing, always swaying and popping whenever Elsa moved. Now Anna was sensing how magical they were, all sorts of moans tumbling off her tongue because of the way those things ground with a mind of their own. The pressure in her core was building with a white hot harshness as if she were the one receiving instead of sharing mutual friction.

Every now and then, she'd place a chaste kiss on her lover's lips, chant her name like a prayer, and brush her nose against Elsa's.

Sure, they could have done more with one another than just grinding their thighs upon their sexes but the urge for a sexual connection with one another was new, timid, and yet to be properly explored. For now, they were simply trying to show the other how sorry they were with the most intimate way possible. It was unlike anything either of them had ever experienced: a pleasurable, gentle, loving kind of touch with full eye contact abundant with affection and their names bubbling over their lips.

When Elsa tilted her head back and closed her eyes, lips parted slightly, Anna knew that she was close. Speed was increased for the both of them, moans puffing out in hot breaths, freckled cheeks flushed, and sweat beading along foreheads.

"Ahhhh_nna!_" Elsa cried, gripping Anna's shoulders.

She came against the redhead's skin, a natural high that was better than anything else in the universe pulsing through her veins. And she knew— in spite of her dazed state— that Anna in need of an equally sweet release. So she kept on going, embracing Anna closer and pressing her tongue hotly onto Anna's pounding pulse on her neck, the younger girl moaning out her name in short pants, mouth agape with the delight bubbling in her stomach.

Her hips jerked against Elsa's thigh, her body quivering, until she felt her orgasm creep up on her.

"Oh, god… Elsa… Elsa… _Elsa!_" Anna's voice climbed in pitch before she let out a harsh, shuddering moan, her nose engulfed in Elsa's neck, lips grazing over the cream colored skin.

Slowly, as she came down from her high, Elsa shifted herself out of her interlock with the ginger, her chest heaving from the incredible make up sex she had just gone through. Anna was still shaking, her skin glowing with heat, and eyes shut tight. Elsa let out an exhausted sigh, taking Anna by the hand and dragging her down with her so they were lying down underneath the blankets.

The roadie positioned herself so her stomach was pressed against Elsa's and her arms were resting atop of the blonde's breasts, her chin on top of her arms. They shared a sleepy smile before Anna closed her eyes, the older girl reaching over to tuck a few loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah," Anna muttered. "A good different."

"A _great_ different," Elsa chuckled breathlessly.

They maneuvered themselves so they were resting on their sides, Anna on the left of the bed and Elsa on the right, heads sharing a pillow. With a tired grin, Anna slid her hands behind Elsa's neck and started to kiss her neck tenderly, attempting to ease them both into a peaceful sleep. Elsa's icy eyes fell shut as she ran her hands up and down Anna's bare side and back, occasionally feeling a lock of red hair brush against her fingers.

Underneath the warm blankets were no longer two strangers, a punk and a roadie, two tentative friends, or two arguing hearts. Whatever tension between them that had caused them to be so angry with one another was gone, eliminated by a bond that went far beyond their best friend standing. It was very clear to them what the kiss meant and very clear what the make up sex meant.

It was the start of an experimental relationship, to see where this would take them. It might not take them anywhere or it might take them so far when they least expect it.

Whatever it was, it was on its way. No words needed to prove it. The trust was mending itself faster than mere apologies, their naked bodies melding together with simplicity.

"How do my hands feel?" Elsa asked nervously, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Rough… but good. 'Cause they're your hands," Anna said against her skin.

"Really? I'm still surprised you're not grossed out by them."

"Oh, Elsa, relax," Anna chastised, leaning back, meeting Elsa's newly opened eyes. "It's fine. They're perfect."

"If you're sure…"

Anna broke out into a grin suddenly, giggling so her shoulders shook delicately.

"What are you laughing at?" Elsa demanded gently, her brows knitting together.

"Your voice… it's just… it's so much softer and lighter," Anna said. "It's been like that ever since I got on top of you. It's so unlike how you usually sound, y'know, all raspy and stuff. It's a nice change."

Elsa's expression softened and she smiled that same, eyes shining, freckling popping smile Anna only saw on special occasions. But this one was far different from the other ones. There was nothing but affection and undying appreciation this time. A genuine smile that made Anna's heart skip several beats.

"Only for you," Elsa finally responded.

"And that _smile_. It's so beautiful," Anna voiced, her tone honeyed. "Not that pretentious smirk you always wear."

"Pretentious? How rude."

"It's true—" Kiss. "—and you know it."

It wasn't until three in the morning, after a couple of hours of kissing and pillow talk, did they finally fall asleep, breaths slow and calm, legs tangled up together, content with whom they had just shared the most intimate of connections with.

* * *

**Please be nice. I did my best with this chapter because it's all part of the already laid out plan for this story.**

**Make up sex is the best kind of sex for some so… I wanted their first time to be a bit different from others that I've read. Hesitant and new… but both passionate and inviting. I hope I did okay.**

**Please, please be kind in the reviews. I worked hard on the smut. I can understand why some of you are like, oh no it's too fast, but I tried. I really did. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't review at all. Thank you.**

**Anyways… it's a long one but it's a big thanks for 200+. Kisses all around. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Fav/ Follow/ Review**

**See you next time!**


End file.
